Nigeria Moves to Expand Agricultural Exports as Tinubu Signs Repeal Bill

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has signed the Export (Prohibition) Act (Repeal and Re-enactment) Bill, 2025 into law, a move expected to expand Nigeria’s export capacity and stimulate growth in the agricultural sector.

The presidential assent was announced by Senate President Godswill Akpabio during plenary at the National Assembly, where he confirmed that the president had approved the legislation recently passed by lawmakers.

The new law repeals the Export (Prohibition) Act of 1989, which previously restricted the export of several staple commodities including maize, rice, beans, yam tubers, cassava tubers and timber. The restrictions were originally introduced to prioritise domestic consumption and protect Nigeria’s food security.

However, stakeholders over the years argued that the decades-old law had become outdated and was limiting Nigeria’s ability to compete in international agricultural markets. They also maintained that the restrictions discouraged investment in the agricultural sector and constrained the country’s foreign exchange earnings.

Supporters of the repeal say removing the export barriers will allow Nigeria to maximise its agricultural production capacity and strengthen its position in global commodity markets.

The legislation was sponsored in the House of Representatives by Francis Waive, representing Ughelli North, Ughelli South and Udu Federal Constituency, alongside other lawmakers who argued that the reform would help diversify Nigeria’s economy away from oil dependence.

The president also assented to a second bill domesticating the African Union Convention for the Protection and Assistance of Internally Displaced Persons, commonly known as the Kampala Convention, aimed at strengthening legal protections for displaced persons in Nigeria.

Analysts say the repeal of the export prohibition law could open new opportunities for agricultural exporters and support the federal government’s broader efforts to increase non-oil revenue and expand Nigeria’s participation in global trade.