KEY POINTS

• The FG will push industrial growth, trade, investment and non-oil exports in 2026.
• Capital importation hit about $21bn in the first 10 months of 2025; non-oil exports topped $6.1bn.
• Over 115,000 MSMEs accessed grants, loans and trade finance through federal interventions.

The Federal Government plans to intensify efforts to drive industrial growth, expand trade, mobilize investment and boost non-oil exports in 2026, as part of its economic diversification agenda. The Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Jumoke Oduwole, stated this at a management retreat for directors-general, directors and chief executives of agencies under the ministry.

From policy to performance

According to Oduwole, the focus is to translate policy into measurable economic outcomes through stronger implementation, collaboration and performance monitoring. The retreat, themed “From Policy to Performance,” reviewed the implementation of the Nigeria Industrial Policy, which she described as the country’s first comprehensive industrial framework aimed at rebuilding the manufacturing base.

Moreover, the minister said the retreat sought to assess progress and strengthen accountability, because previous initiatives often faltered at the implementation stage. “Our immediate responsibility is to convert policy direction into tangible results through effective execution, inter-agency collaboration and rigorous performance monitoring,” she said.

A record of 2025 gains

Highlighting last year’s results, Oduwole said policy alignment across trade, investment and industry delivered significant gains. According to her, total capital importation rose to about $21 billion within the first 10 months of 2025, while non-oil exports exceeded $6.1 billion. Furthermore, she said intra-African trade climbed to roughly N4.82 trillion in the first half of 2025, driven by expanding opportunities under the African Continental Free Trade Area.

In addition, the minister said more than 115,000 Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises accessed grants, loans and trade finance through interventions by the Bank of Industry, NEXIM Bank and the Nigerian Export Promotion Council. She also revealed that Nigeria completed Africa’s first comprehensive five-year review of the AfCFTA’s implementation, which she said underscored the country’s leadership in regional integration.

Consequently, Oduwole said progress had continued into 2026 through improved export connectivity, stronger investment facilitation, intellectual property reforms and increased support for exporters and manufacturers. Ultimately, she said ongoing trade and investment agreements would unlock new export markets, attract foreign and domestic investment, and strengthen Nigeria’s place in global value chains, framing the 2026 agenda as a bid to convert reform momentum into lasting, broad-based growth.