Fidelity Bank Deepens Push for Non-Oil Exports
Nigeria’s diversification drive has gathered momentum in recent years as government initiatives push to reduce dependence on crude oil and strengthen non-oil sectors as engines of growth.
Complementing these efforts, Fidelity Bank Plc has continued to steadily position itself as one of the private-sector leaders advancing the country’s non-oil export agenda; through its flagship initiative; the Fidelity Nigeria International Trade & Creative Connect (FNITCC).
The bank has built a global platform that links Nigerian exporters with international buyers, diaspora markets, and strategic investors.
In a country where oil revenues remain vulnerable to global shocks FNITCC is more than a corporate innovation it is a deliberate tool to help Nigeria unlock new streams of foreign exchange, strengthen small businesses while showcasing the creativity and resilience of its people to the world.
FNITCC reflects Fidelity Bank’s conviction that Nigeria’s future global competitiveness lies not only in raw commodities but also in value-added goods and services.
The expo has created space for agriculture and consumer-packaged goods, but equally for sectors such as fashion, cosmetics, fintech, and the wider creative economy.
The federal government has also increasingly emphasized the need for value addition rather than the mere export of raw commodities.
A recent policy directive on shea butter for instance, underscores this shift by encouraging local processors to refine and package the product before it leaves the shores of Nigeria.
The move aligns with broader industrialisation and job-creation objectives while ensuring that the country captures more value across the production chai; a goal that platforms such as FNITCC is assisting to actualize by connecting these upgraded products to international markets.
In a statement announcing this year’s FNITCC, Fidelity Bank’s Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Dr. Nneka Onyeali-Ikpe, said since 2022 when the maiden edition was hosted FNITCC has evolved beyond a platform for promoting Nigeria’s non-oil exports to become a veritable showcase of the immense value Nigeria has to offer the global market.
Onyeali-Ikpe reaffirmed the bank's commitment to developing platforms that promote economic growth, creativity and sustainable trade both within Nigeria and globally.
The FNITCC journey began in London in November 2022. Hosted at the Novotel London West, the inaugural event drew more than 100 exhibitors and 90 speakers, attracting over 1,000 daily attendees.
Not just that it unlocked trade and investment deals worth about $250 million, validating the proposition that Nigerian businesses could compete abroad if given the right exposure and institutional support.
One year after, the platform moved to Houston, Texas a city known for its energy base but also home to one of the largest Nigerian diaspora communities in the United States.
FNITCC Houston, held in October 2023, attracted over 160 Nigerian and U.S.-based businesses across fintech, commodities, fashion, agriculture, and creative industries. The highlight was a landmark $40 million pre-export finance facility in favour of JohnVents Industries, one of Nigeria’s fast-rising cocoa exporters.
The facility, arranged by Afreximbank with Fidelity Bank as the local administrative agent, demonstrated how trade promotion could be matched with access to finance to deliver real outcomes for exporters.
From September 18-20, 2025, FNITCC would be heading to Atlanta, Georgia, the choice is deliberate; Atlanta has become a hub for Black entrepreneurship, cultural exchange and diaspora investment in the United States.
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