By Emmanuel Okogba

The African Export Club has unveiled a new framework aimed at widening participation in Nigeria’s non-oil export sector, in what industry observers describe as part of a growing push to decentralise access to export opportunities beyond large-scale operators.

The initiative, introduced in Lagos, is designed to encourage broader involvement in export-related activities through structured education, market orientation, and coordinated participation models targeted at individuals and smaller participants within local value chains.

African Export Club, a Lagos State-registered organisation, said the initiative forms part of efforts to support more inclusive participation in export trade, particularly among youths and women seeking entry into Nigeria’s growing non-oil economy.

According to the organisation, Nigeria’s export potential remains significantly underutilised despite increasing global demand for agricultural and commodity-based products. It noted that participation in the sector has historically remained concentrated among a relatively small network of established exporters, leaving many interested participants excluded due to limited access to information, structure, and market understanding.

Speaking on the initiative, President of African Export Club, Shile Bamishile, said Nigeria’s next phase of export growth would depend largely on how accessible the system becomes to everyday participants.

“Export in Nigeria has operated for too long as a closed circle understood by only a few people,” Bamishile said. “What we are pushing is a more open and structured ecosystem where knowledge, participation, and opportunity are not limited to major operators alone.”

He added that one of the major barriers within the sector is the knowledge gap surrounding export processes, documentation requirements, quality standards, and market procedures, particularly among younger and emerging participants.

Bamishile also commended the Lagos State Government for creating an enabling environment that allows youth- and women-focused initiatives to emerge within the enterprise and trade ecosystem.

“We acknowledge the Lagos State Government for continually creating opportunities that encourage innovation, enterprise, and economic participation among youths and women,” he said. “That support environment is important for initiatives like this to grow and contribute meaningfully to economic development.”

The organisation said the new framework will focus on improving awareness around international trade processes while encouraging stronger grassroots coordination within agricultural and commodity supply chains.

Industry analysts have repeatedly identified non-oil exports as a critical pathway for Nigeria’s economic diversification efforts amid persistent pressure on foreign exchange earnings and oil revenues.

African Export Club stated that its approach aligns with broader calls for reforms that make export participation more inclusive, particularly for smaller contributors who have traditionally operated outside formal international trade structures.

“The future of African trade cannot remain in the hands of a few gatekeepers,” Bamishile added. “Real export growth will happen when participation becomes more democratic, more structured, and more accessible to ordinary people.”

The organisation said it intends to continue engaging stakeholders across the export value chain while operating within existing regulatory frameworks to strengthen awareness and participation in non-oil export activities.