Nigeria has established itself as the second-largest exporter of sesame in Africa and fourth globally, with exports valued at N700 billion in 2024, according to Nonye Ayeni, Executive Director of the Nigeria Export Promotion Council (NEPC).

Speaking at the STDF 845 project meeting for Sesame and Cowpea in Abuja on Wednesday, Ayeni highlighted the project's importance in enhancing Nigerian agricultural exports. "This three-year initiative, co-funded by the International Trade Centre and NEPC, aims to ensure Nigerian sesame and cowpea exports comply with international pesticide residue standards, reducing rejection rates in global markets," she stated.

Ayeni noted that the international sesame market was valued at $7.67 billion in 2025 and is projected to grow at an Annual Growth Rate (AGR) of 2.3% by 2030. "In 2024 alone, Nigeria exported sesame seeds worth $463.827 million, demonstrating the commodity's significant contribution to our non-oil export sector," she added.

The executive director emphasized that Nigerian sesame is primarily exported to Europe, North America, the Far East, and the Middle East, underscoring the importance of the STDF 845 project's baseline study in understanding current practices and regulations regarding sanitary and phytosanitary standards.

Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment Jumoke Oduwole also addressed the gathering, pointing out that while Nigeria ranks as the fourth-largest sesame producer globally, with Japan representing 40% of its sesame export market, the country has faced recent challenges due to sanitary conditions of many products. "The ministry will focus on streamlining regulatory processes and sensitizing MSMEs to ensure their products meet proper sanitary requirements to prevent export rejections," Oduwole promised.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​