NESG: Nigeria must strengthen quality certification to boost exports
By Aboki Forex —
The Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG) has called on the government to improve quality assurance and certification systems. It says better product standards are key to making Nigerian exports more competitive and capturing more value from international trade.
In its latest foreign trade review, the NESG noted that Nigeria recorded a strong trade surplus in the first quarter of 2026. However, structural weaknesses in the export ecosystem still limit the country's ability to fully benefit from global trade.
The group said improving product quality standards, export certification processes, and port efficiency is critical. These steps will help reverse current trends and boost non-oil exports.
What the report is saying
The NESG highlighted that export rerouting remains a major challenge. Many Nigerian goods are shipped through neighbouring countries, reducing domestic value capture.
“Nigeria needs to strengthen quality assurance and certification systems to improve the competitiveness of locally produced goods,” the group stated. “This would also reduce the practice of export rerouting through neighbouring countries, which limits domestic value capture.”
It added that export procedures and port operations must be streamlined to cut delays and logistics costs. Investments in infrastructure and industrial processing zones are also needed to promote value addition.
The group stressed that expanding exports of processed agricultural products and light manufacturing goods would help Nigeria maximise opportunities under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
More insights
Beyond improving export infrastructure, the NESG urged Nigeria to deepen trade engagement with key international markets, especially in Asia. Asia accounted for 55.5% of Nigeria's merchandise imports in Q1 2026 but absorbed only 30.3% of the country's exports.
The group identified China and India as major trading partners where Nigeria could expand export opportunities. It pointed to China's two-year non-reciprocal tariff-free policy for African exports, introduced in May 2026, as a significant opportunity for Nigerian exporters.
However, the NESG noted that Nigeria was absent from the first batch of shipments under the Chinese initiative. According to the report, this underscores the urgency of improving export quality and certification systems.