Zenith Bank Marks 10 Years of Non-Oil Export Seminar, Calls for Value Addition
Zenith Bank Plc hosted the 10th edition of its International Trade Seminar on Non-Oil Export on Tuesday, 25 August 2026, under the theme "Unlocking Value and Harnessing Growth". The virtual event brought together policymakers, regulators, exporters, manufacturers, investors and development partners from across Africa and beyond to discuss how Nigeria can earn more from its exports. Dame (Dr.) Adaora Umeoji, OON, Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Zenith Bank, highlighted that non-oil exports reached a record $6.1 billion in 2025, up 11.5% from $5.46 billion in 2024, and noted the bank’s partnership with the African Continental Free Trade Area Secretariat to develop the SMARTAfCFTA portal and its integration with the Pan-African Payment and Settlement System to ease cross-border business. She urged participants to turn Nigeria’s improving export numbers into lasting economic value by creating more value locally and exporting finished products rather than raw materials.
The Honourable Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Jumoke Oduwole, MFR, called for deeper trade and investment reforms, stressing that the focus should be on producing more competitively in Nigeria, processing more locally, connecting Nigerian businesses to bigger markets, and ensuring financing, infrastructure and trade systems exist to help them scale. She also urged financial institutions to finance export capability, not just transactions, and encouraged businesses to invest in productivity, quality and skills for intra-African trade. The Secretary-General of the African Continental Free Trade Area Secretariat, Wamkele Mene, placed the private sector at the centre of Africa’s economic restructuring, saying the success of AfCFTA will be measured by how well the private sector leverages the agreement to access new markets, scale investment and productive capacity, and create jobs across the continent.
The seminar featured public and private sector panels that committed to improving trade facilitation, customs efficiency, logistics reform, and exporters’ access to funding. Zenith Bank said it will continue to champion non-oil export growth by opening market opportunities and backing exporters with financing, incentives and practical support. Nigerian businesses looking to benefit can explore the SMARTAfCFTA portal, use PAPSS for cross-border payments, and seek Zenith Bank’s export financing products to move up the value chain and capture more value from what they sell abroad.