Nigerian Export Promotion Council targets non-oil export growth

The Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) is intensifying efforts to diversify the national economy by strengthening non-oil export value chains. Through the ‘One State One Product’ (OSOP) initiative, the council aims to identify and develop strategic products, such as agricultural commodities and solid minerals, based on the comparative advantages of individual states.

In the Northwest region, the NEPC is reviewing state activities to improve production and export readiness, focusing on processing, packaging, and certification rather than just raw commodity production.

Additionally, the council is targeting the gemstone sector to increase Nigeria’s share of the $350 billion global gemstone and jewellery market. Currently, Nigeria accounts for less than 0.1 percent of this market, largely due to the export of raw stones. The NEPC emphasizes that value addition—such as cutting and polishing—can make stones 10 to 50 times more valuable. The council seeks to address challenges in the sector, including the fact that over 80 percent of gemstone mining is currently artisanal, informal, and lacks traceability and certification.