In spite of the harsh economic climate due to the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic that led to global economic downturn, Nigeria’s Non-Oil Sector recorded significant growth by posting highly impressive result in terms of export earnings to the tune of 4.8 billion United States dollars in 2022.
The Executive Director, Nigerian Export Promotion Council, NEPC, Ezra Yakusak who disclosed this in Abuja while presenting the Non-Oil Export Performance for the year under review said the amount represented an increase of 39.9 percent from what was obtainable in 2021.
He said one thousand one hundred and seventy two exporters participated in the export of about two hundred and fourteen different products ranging from manufactured, semi-processed, solid minerals to raw agricultural products.
The NEPC boss noted that the figures represent data collated from various Pre-shipment Inspection Agents appointed by the Federal Government under the Pre-shipment Inspection Act, 2004.
The NEPC helmsman noting that the result was the highest value ever achieved since the establishment of the agency forty seven years ago also reeled out challenges surmounted by the agency.
He however, expressed optimism that with the several export intervention programmes and projects that have already been executed and those on-going, performance of the sector in 2023 may likely surpass that of 2022.