The Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC), together with the International Trade Centre (ITC), launched a two‑day needs assessment and validation workshop in Kano on 14 April. The event gathered farmers, exporters, trade associations and development partners to improve communication on sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) standards for sesame and cowpea shipments. NEPC's Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer, Nonye Ayeni, explained that the session seeks to pinpoint gaps, overlaps and opportunities for coordination within the two value chains. She added that the workshop will devise a comprehensive communication framework to raise awareness of SPS requirements and produce an "efficient, impactful, and all‑inclusive communication awareness strategy".
Ayeni highlighted that Nigeria's non‑oil export value reached a historic $6.1 billion in 2025, with a volume of 8.02 million metric tonnes covering 281 products exported to 120 countries, including 11 ECOWAS and 32 African states. Since the launch of the STDF 845 initiative in 2024, NEPC has collaborated with SON, NAFDAC and NAQS, achieving a marked decline in export rejections and supporting more than 210 exporters in obtaining Halal, FDA and ISO certifications.
Macpherson Fred, NEPC's Director of Product Development, noted that the programme combines a communication workshop for primary producers (14‑15 April) with export quality management training for downstream actors (16‑17 April). He recalled the 2015 EU ban on cowpea exports and recent sesame rejections due to pesticide residues as drivers for the intervention, emphasizing the partnership's aim to boost compliance and Nigeria's competitiveness in global markets.
Nonye Ayeni's leadership of the SPS workshop signals that Nigeria's record non‑oil export earnings are vulnerable without robust quality controls.
While the country posted a $6.1 billion non‑oil export value in 2025, past setbacks—such
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