President Bola Tinubu has formally rolled out Nigeria’s National Halal Economy Strategy, a sweeping policy framework designed to position Africa’s largest economy as a competitive player in the rapidly expanding global halal market, valued at an estimated $7.7 trillion.
The launch, which took place on Thursday at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, was conducted on behalf of the President by Vice President Kashim Shettima, according to an official statement from the Presidency.
Government projections indicate that the strategy could contribute as much as $1.5 billion to Nigeria’s gross domestic product (GDP) by 2027, reinforcing broader efforts to diversify the economy beyond oil dependence.
Positioning Nigeria for Global Halal Trade
Addressing stakeholders at the unveiling ceremony, Vice President Shettima said the strategy signals Nigeria’s intention to actively compete in the global halal economy, an industry that has gained strong traction across multiple continents and has been successfully adopted by several advanced and emerging economies.
He explained that the policy document provides a structured roadmap for Nigeria’s entry into halal value chains spanning food and beverages, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, logistics, tourism, and financial services.
According to Shettima, the National Halal Economy Strategy is built around aligning Nigeria’s productive capacity with internationally recognised halal standards, enabling local industries to meet certification, quality assurance, and compliance benchmarks required for global market access.
The Vice President emphasised that the initiative is not merely aspirational but is designed to convert market opportunities into measurable economic outcomes, including employment generation and export expansion.
“This strategy represents a declaration of intent—our commitment to meet global standards with Nigerian capacity and transform opportunity into durable economic value,” Shettima said during the event.
Implementation Focus and Governance Structure
Shettima stressed that effective execution would be critical to the strategy’s success, noting that outcomes must be disciplined, inclusive, and measurable to ensure broad-based economic impact.
He added that the next phase of the initiative would require translating policy objectives into actionable programmes capable of delivering jobs, improving export performance, and driving shared prosperity across the country.
To ensure coordinated implementation, the Vice President disclosed that the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr Jumoke Oduwole, will chair the strategy’s implementation process.
International Partnerships and Policy Continuity
The launch follows Nigeria’s recent efforts to strengthen international cooperation in halal standards and certification. In January, during President Tinubu’s official visit to the Republic of Türkiye, Nigeria reaffirmed its commitment to building a globally competitive halal ecosystem.
A key outcome of that visit was the signing of an Agreement in the Field of Halal Quality Infrastructure between both countries. The agreement focuses on strengthening standards development, accreditation systems, certification processes, and quality assurance frameworks, with the aim of improving global acceptance of Nigerian halal products and services.
Plans for the National Halal Economy Strategy were first announced in 2024, with government officials projecting that increased halal exports and targeted import substitution could add nearly $1.5 billion to Nigeria’s GDP by 2027.
At the time, the Special Assistant to the President on Export Expansion, Aliyu Sheriff, described the halal economy as a significant pathway for economic diversification, foreign exchange generation, and sustainable growth.
Understanding the Halal Economy
The halal economy encompasses goods, services, and investments that comply with Islamic law (Shariah). While traditionally associated with food, the sector now spans pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, modest fashion, tourism, logistics, and Islamic finance.
With a valuation exceeding $7 trillion globally, the halal economy has emerged as a major driver of international trade, anchored by established hubs in countries such as Malaysia, Brazil, and Australia. Nigeria’s strategy seeks to position the country within this global network by leveraging its population, production capacity, and export potential.
