By Vivian Emoni
Nigeria and the United Kingdom have expressed commitment in deepening trade ties to boost women-led exports and strengthening bilateral trade for global competitiveness.
Dr Jumoke Oduwole, Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, made this known at the She Trades UK-Nigerian Trade Mission to Abuja on Tuesday.
The initiative is in collaboration with the International Trade Centre (ITC) and the event was organised by Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC).
Oduwole said that women remained the backbone of Nigeria’s economy, adding that government had expanded market access and strengthened export knowledge pathways in the past year.
Oduwole said that the initiatives such as World Trade Organisation, International Trade Centre (WTO-ITC), NEPC and African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), would continue in equipping women for high-value export markets.
She said that the ongoing discussions by African customs administrations on trade facilitation, e-commerce and efficient cross-border movement, would strengthen and promote the economy.
The minister said that digitilised and streamlined trade processes were opening new doors for livelihoods and economic transformation.
She described UK tariff relief on nearly 3,000 Nigerian products as a significant bilateral milestone, as it has offered major export opportunities for women-led Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) across multiple sectors.
She said that the mission provided practical guidance on UK entry requirements for agri-food and beauty products, adding that such insights enable Nigerian products to meet global quality, safety and identity standards.
“The platform is fostering meaningful partnerships between Nigerian exporters and UK importers. These partnerships will scale exports, create jobs and expand long-term commercial opportunities.
“The mission also elevated visibility of Nigerian brands in international markets,” she said.
Oduwole urged Nigerian businesses to remain resilient, innovative and committed to excellence.
Dr Nonye Ayeni, NEPC Director-General, appreciated the minister, ITC and the British High Commission for supporting Nigeria’s non-oil export drive.
Ayeni said that Nigeria possessed abundant natural resources, strong private sector potential and over 1,000 agro-commodities for export, noting that NEPC was removing barriers hindering competitiveness under the Renewed Hope Agenda.
She said that Nigeria recorded non-oil export earnings of 5.4billion dollars in 2024, reflecting strong growth, adding that the council had trained more than 8,000 women entrepreneurs on export standards, packaging, e-commerce and global market entry.
“We are focussing on making sure that we keep to quality and standards to ensure that we co-reject so that our goods and our commodities will not be
rejected at the global market.
“So, under the “Go Global, Go for Certification” Initiative, NEPC has supported more than 600 MSMEs with international certifications.
“This year, we have done 250 and we are about to complete 300 before the end of the year and we are beginning to see them advancing into other markets. NEPC is committed to providing market access,” she said.
The Deputy British High Commissioner, Ms Gill Lever, said that the UK government remained committed to empowering women entrepreneurs.
Lever said that 12 UK companies were engaging 30 Nigerian women-led businesses in agri-food and beauty sectors.
She noted that the UK’s Developing Countries Trading Scheme offered Nigerian exporters one of the world’s most generous market preferences.
She said that every business connection strengthened supply chains and deepened economic ties between both nations.
Dr Michelle Kristy, Programme Management Officer, ITC, said the mission aimed at unlocking market access and showcasing Nigeria as a competitive sourcing destination.
Edited by Francis Onyeukwu
