UK–Nigeria Mission targets $32m market gap, connects women exporters

By Grace Edet

The country’s efforts to deepen women’s participation in global trade received a major boost this week as the International Trade Centre (ITC) and the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) convened a UK-funded trade mission in Abuja, connecting 30 Nigerian women-led businesses with 12 UK importers.
The mission is aimed at unlocking an estimated $32 million in untapped export potential between both countries.
Backed by the UK government under the SheTrades Commonwealth+ Programme, the three-day mission (18–20 November) focuses on agrifood and beauty products—two sectors where Nigerian women entrepreneurs already show strong competitiveness but low formal export participation.
Speaking at the opening session, British Deputy High Commissioner to Nigeria, Gill Lever OBE, said the UK remains committed to strengthening market access for Nigerian women entrepreneurs.
“The UK is committed to supporting Nigerian women entrepreneurs to access international markets and grow their businesses.
“This SheTrades mission demonstrates the enormous potential for Nigerian agrifood and beauty products in the UK market. The success we’ve already seen, with over $300,000 in sales generated, shows what’s possible when we unlock opportunities for women in trade,” Lever said.
She noted that the mission builds on the UK’s Developing Countries Trading Scheme (DCTS), which grants duty-free and quota-free access to at least 92 per cent of Nigerian products entering the UK market.
NEPC’s Executive Director/CEO, Nonye Ayeni, emphasised that women remain central to driving Nigeria’s export expansion.
“The best man for the job is a woman because women are resilient, dogged and determined. We have the spirit that never says die. Women!!! Nothing dies in our hands,” she said.
Ayeni added that the mission aligns with NEPC’s efforts to broaden Nigeria’s non-oil export base by integrating women-led businesses into high-value international markets.
ITC Programme Manager for SheTrades Commonwealth+, Michelle Kristy, said there is strong appetite for Nigerian-made agrifood and beauty products among UK buyers.
She said: “The potential for Nigerian women-led businesses and their products to enter the UK market is truly immense.
“This trade mission is about building bridges, connecting these talented women entrepreneurs with potential buyers and providing them a platform to flourish.”
The Abuja mission follows a series of engagements earlier in the year, including articipation of 5 Nigerian women-led firms at Halal Expo Manchester, and business-to-business meetings in the UK, over $300,000 in new sales and leads generated across agrifood and beauty categories.
ITC is also partnering with Nigeria’s Bureau of Public Procurement and the UN CEDAW Committee to finalise an affirmative procurement policy that will open public tenders to women, youth, persons with disabilities, and other excluded groups.
Between 2024 and 2025, the SheTrades Commonwealth+ Programme has trained more than 1,000 Nigerian women entrepreneurs in branding, digital marketing, and export readiness. It has also supported shea product manufacturers in meeting certification and audit requirements, while hosting major exhibitions, including the HerShowcase event in Abuja, which featured over 75 women-led brands.
NEPC continues to host the SheTrades Nigeria Hub, a platform providing export advisory, capacity building and market linkages for women-led businesses across the country.