Nigeria’s Special Economic Zones generated more than $500 million in export revenues and created over 20,000 direct jobs last year, underlining their growing contribution to the government’s strategy to shift the economy away from oil and towards export-led growth, according to a new government review document.
The Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment said the performance of the zones reflected broad reforms implemented in 2025 to deepen industrial capacity, expand exports, attract investment, and restore confidence among global investors.
The findings were outlined in a document titled 2025: A Defining Year for Nigeria’s Industry, Trade and Investment.
More than $500m in export revenues generated by Special Economic Zones in 2025.
Over 20,000 direct jobs created through activities in the zones.
The performance underscores SEZs’ role in driving non-oil exports and industrialisation.
Business Insider Africa The report noted that coordinated work by the Nigerian Export Processing Zones Authority and the Oil and Gas Free Zones Authority helped deliver these results. The figures come amid broader gains in Nigeria’s trade landscape, with non-oil exports rising about 21 per cent to $12.8 billion in the first half of 2025, nearly double the government’s internal target for that period.
This growth helped produce a trade surplus worth roughly N12 trillion, supported by stronger export performance and improvements in trade facilitation and logistics.
According to the review, the rise in non-oil exports was backed by increased value addition in key agricultural and manufactured products, including cocoa and cocoa derivatives, sesame seeds, cashew nuts, shea butter, ginger, hibiscus flowers, rubber, processed palm oil, fertilisers, cement, and liquefied natural gas.
The ministry also highlighted efforts to build exporter capacity, saying it trained more than 27,000 exporters, certified 200 micro, small and medium enterprises for international markets, and supported over 3,000 farmers with hybrid seedlings.
One inclusive trade initiative, the Women Export Fund, attracted more than 67,000 applications and awarded grants to 146 women-led businesses.
Analysts say the performance of the special economic zones and the wider export boom are part of efforts to diversify the economy, reduce reliance on crude oil earnings, and build more resilient sources of foreign exchange.
Nigeria’s recent trade and export momentum is seen as a sign of gradual progress in structural economic reforms, even as challenges in infrastructure and competitiveness remain on policymakers’ agenda.
Source: Business Insider
