Dutse, Oct.2, 2025
Nigerian Export Promotion Council(NEPC), has tasked sesame seed farmers in Jigawa state to boost their productivity, as Nigeria’s non-oil exports for the first quarter of 2025, has hit the value of $1.791 billion.
Mrs Nonye Ayeni, the Chief Executive Officer of the Council gave the task at a one-day sensisensitization for sesame seed farmers in Jigawa state.
Represented by the Chief Trade Promotion Officer of the Council in Abuja, Mrs OkanyChika Sulvia, Ayeni said the value represents a 24.75 percent increase compared to the first quarter of 2024, representing 19.59 percent increase.
She explained that non-oil performance 2024, indicated that sesame seed ranked number three of the top 20 export products, which amounted to 337.8258 metric tonnes of the 4.63 percent of the quantity exported.
According to the he CEO, “Nigeria can obtain a significant share in the enormous forex from sesame seed export in the globlglobal market.”
She stressed the need to enhance the nation’s sesame yield and production, to maximize the export potent along the value chain.
In his welcome address, the Coordinator, Jigawa state Coordinating office of the NEPC, Mr Abdulkadir Aliyu, said the forum aimed at increasing Nigeria’s sesame seed output.
The overall objective he said, is to help the country tap into the growing opportunities in the global market, particularly in foreign exchange earnings.
“This is a valuable opportunity to gain insights and contribute meaningfully to the development of this important sector,” he said.
In a presentation, the Chief Trade Promotion Officer of the Council, Mrs OkanyChika Sulvia, said export of Nigeria’s sesame seed to Japan was allegedly threatened.
This she said, was due to the discovery of excess pesticide residue and salmonella in Sesame Seed export of Nigerian origin to Japan between 2019 to 2021.
“The offshoot this discovery was raised by Japan Oil and Fat Importers and Exporters Association (JOFIEA) on 5th August, 2022.
“Relatively, the Japanese Authorities allegedly confirmed that a high dose of pesticide residue found in Sesame Seed exported to Japan between 2019-2021 was 1.9 times in excess of Maximum Residue Limit (MRL),” she said.
The officer highlighted that some challenges related to sesame seed exportation include poor compliance with Sanitary and Phytosanitary requirements, cross contamination of during handling, bagging, packaging and transportation.
She added that lack of proper documentation by exporters is also a lingering challenges to the export of sesame seed from Nigeria.
Some of the solutions according to Sylvia, include addressing contaminant issue from the farm gate to the market, with comprehensive approach, leveraging training of farmers on GAP.
“The introduction of technology driven traceability system, tackling logistic hurdles, packaging and product differentiation will also curtail the situation,” she noted.
Furthermore, she noted that quality testing, deployment of modern technology, awareness campaign, as well as training and establishment of good storage system with adequate ventilation to avoid moisture growth is vital.
In addition, the Officer advocated for the establishment of clusters within medium term frame, noting that NEPC will continue to engage relevant stakeholders and development partners to ensure zero reject of agricultural exports especially sesame seed.
“We believe that through strategic engagement, partnerships and advocacies, Nigeria sesame seed export will be boosted and competitively repositioned across major destination markets,” Sylvia said.
One of the participants, Mrs Balaraba Ibrahim, called for the establishmentmof agrarian centre for sesame seed processing in Jigawa state.
She expressed concern over the level of exploitation faced by sesame seed farmers in Jigawa, who lack capacity to process what they produce, but rather sell t meager price.
Another participant, Mr Magaji Rabi’u from the Jigawa state Chamber of Commerce, tasked Jigawa residents to explore export opportunities.
He appealed to farmers to tap into export opportunities through the Nigerian Export Promotion Council in Jigawa state.
The theme of the workshop was “A Tactical Involvement for Enhancing the Production Capacity of Sesame Seed in Jigawa State.”
Aisha Ahmed ✍ from Dutse
