At Lagos’ cargo gateways, a quiet economic shift is gathering momentum.
Warehouses that once watched outbound aircraft leave half-empty are now being repositioned as launch pads for Nigerian products headed for global markets.
And at the centre of this effort, the Nigerian Aviation Handling Company (NAHCO) says small businesses must lead the charge.
At a capacity-building forum bringing exporters, regulators, financiers and logistics operators together, NAHCO’s Group Executive Director for Commercial and Business Development, Prince Saheed Lasisi, made the case that Nigeria’s ambition to build a one-trillion-dollar economy by 2030 will rise or fall on the strength of its non-oil exports, and the readiness of SMEs to plug into global trade.
For decades, Nigeria’s foreign earnings have leaned overwhelmingly on oil, which still accounts for roughly 90 percent of export revenues, leaving the economy exposed to global price swings.
Non-oil exports remain comparatively weak despite the country’s vast agricultural and manufacturing potential.
Yet Nigeria hosts nearly 40 million micro, small and medium enterprises, businesses that account for up to 90 percent of enterprises nationwide and employ over 80 percent of the workforce.
Their export footprint, however, remains painfully small.
Mr. Lasisi argues that logistics not just production, is the missing link.
“Exporting agro-products requires precision in handling, packaging, compliance and timing,” he said, explaining that NAHCO operates at the critical junction where exporters meet airlines and regulators.
The company’s newly operational Export Packaging and Processing Centre, located within airport premises, now offers specialized packaging and cargo preparation for perishables and sensitive goods, alongside an export support desk guiding businesses through documentation and acceptance requirements in foreign markets.
Industry players say such infrastructure is crucial if Nigeria is to turn its agricultural strength into foreign exchange earnings.
Agriculture contributes more than one-fifth of national GDP, yet processed and agro-based exports still make up only a small share of export income, largely due to logistics bottlenecks, weak export readiness and regulatory hurdles.
Chairman of the NACCIMA Export Group, Kola Awe, noted that while multinational exporters manage these challenges with stronger financial buffers, SMEs often struggle to scale beyond local markets.
To close that gap, NACCIMA has introduced export support initiatives aimed at helping smaller businesses navigate compliance and market entry requirements.
NACCIMA Director General, Sola Obadimu, warned that Nigeria cannot afford to overlook the export potential of SMEs.
He observed that while small businesses dominate domestic commerce, their participation in international trade remains disproportionately low.
Unlocking that potential, he said, requires collaboration between logistics operators, financial institutions and regulatory agencies.
Banks are also moving to reposition SMEs for export participation.
Representing Polaris Bank, commercial banking executive Ladi Ene Garba stressed that reducing oil dependency is no longer optional but essential for economic stability.
Expanding non-oil exports, she said, would create jobs, stabilize foreign exchange earnings and shield the economy from external shocks, with SMEs playing a decisive role in that transition.
Air cargo operators add another dimension to the challenge. Aviation Cargo Committee President Ikechi Uko pointed out that many international aircraft arrive in Nigeria filled with imports but depart with little outbound cargo, underscoring lost export opportunities.
Government and industry stakeholders are now working to reverse that pattern by creating structured air-export systems that allow Nigerian goods to move efficiently into global markets.
Shipping and logistics operators echo the urgency.
Industry executive Akin Oladipupo noted that billions of naira in agricultural value remain untapped because Nigeria has yet to fully organize its food export ecosystem.
The forum drew participation from agencies central to export regulation, including Customs, NAFDAC, NAQS, NEPC and FAAN as well as global airlines and logistics firms, signaling growing alignment across the export value chain.
For Nigeria’s millions of small businesses, the message was clear: the next wave of economic growth may not come from oil wells, but from farms, factories and workshops, provided their products can reach the world.
And at the airport cargo terminals, the race to make that happen has already begun.
Reporting By Nosa Aituamen