The Nigerian Export Promotion Council announced that Nigeria’s non-oil export reached $1.791 billion in the first quarter of 2025.

The Chief Executive Officer of the Council, Nonye Ayeni, disclosed this figure at a one-day sensitisation exercise organized for sesame seed farmers on Thursday in Dutse, Jigawa.

The workshop’s theme was: “A Tactical Involvement for Enhancing the Production Capacity of Sesame Seed in Jigawa State.”

Represented by Okany Chika Sylvia, Chief Trade Promotion Officer, NEPC, Ayeni noted that this export value represented a 24.75 per cent increase compared to the 19.59 per cent recorded in the first quarter of 2024.

She further pointed out that non-oil export performance in 2024 indicated that sesame seed ranked third among the top 20 export products, amounting to 337,825.8 metric tonnes, which was 4.63 per cent of total exports.

Ayeni stressed the vast opportunity, stating: “Nigeria can obtain a significant share in the enormous forex from sesame seed export in the global market.”

She emphasized the need to enhance the nation’s sesame yields and production to maximize the export potential along the value chain.

In her presentation, Okany Chika Sylvia recounted a challenge that had previously threatened Nigeria’s sesame seed exports. She recalled that Nigeria’s sesame seed export to Japan between 2019 and 2021 was allegedly jeopardized due to the discovery of excess pesticide residue and salmonella.

Sylvia gave specific details of the complaint, saying: “The offshoot of this discovery was raised by the Japan Oil and Fat Importers and Exporters Association on 5 August, 2022.”

She further explained the severity of the issue, stating: “Relatively, the Japanese authorities allegedly confirmed that a high dose of pesticide residue found in sesame seed exported to Japan between 2019 and 2021 was 1.9 times in excess of the Maximum Residue Limit (MRL).”

Sylvia identified several challenges confronting sesame seed exports, including poor compliance with sanitary and phytosanitary requirements, cross-contamination during handling, and a lack of proper documentation by exporters.

Proffering solutions to these quality issues, Sylvia suggested they could be resolved by tackling contaminants from the farm gate to the market, adopting a comprehensive approach, and training farmers on Good Agricultural Practices.

She added that technological and logistical improvements are also necessary, stating: “The introduction of technology-driven traceability systems, tackling logistics hurdles, packaging and product differentiation will also curtail the situation.”

She listed further essential measures, adding: “Quality testing, deployment of modern technology, awareness campaigns as well as establishment of proper storage systems are vital.”

Sylvia also advocated for the establishment of clusters within the medium term, stressing that the Council would engage relevant stakeholders to ensure zero rejection of agricultural exports, especially sesame seed.

She expressed confidence in the planned engagements, saying: “We believe that through strategic engagement and partnerships, Nigeria’s sesame seed export will be boosted and competitively repositioned across major destination markets.”

NEPC’s Jigawa Coordinator, Mr. Abdulkadir Aliyu, said the forum’s main goal was to increase Nigeria’s sesame seed output. He noted that the overall objective was to help the country fully tap into growing opportunities in the global market, particularly in foreign exchange earnings.

Aliyu affirmed the forum’s value, stating: “This is a valuable opportunity to gain insights and contribute meaningfully to the development of this important sector.” During the sensitization, one participant, Balaraba Ibrahim, called for the establishment of aggregation centres for sesame seed processing in Jigawa.

She voiced concern over the exploitation faced by sesame farmers who lack the capacity to process their produce, forcing them to sell at cheaper prices.

Another participant, Magaji Rabi’u, urged farmers and residents of the state to explore export opportunities through the NEPC.