Nigeria’s cocoa exports jumped from N171 billion in late 2023 to N1.2 trillion in the last quarter of 2024 — a 606% rise.
Presidential aide on Agribusiness, Dr Kingsley Uzoma, disclosed this at a Nigeria–EU roundtable in Abuja on the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR). He said the surge reflects both global demand and the strength of Nigeria’s agricultural sector, noting cocoa now makes up 29% of agricultural exports and 5.6% of total non-oil exports.
The EUDR, which bans imports linked to deforestation after December 2020, requires strict traceability and due diligence from suppliers. Nigeria, where over 300,000 smallholder farmers produce 80% of its cocoa, aims to boost output from 320,000 tonnes to 500,000 tonnes by 2025 through targeted interventions.
Uzoma said the regulation aligns with Nigeria’s green economy agenda, encouraging sustainable farming, improved yields, and the use of technologies like blockchain and satellite mapping.
To meet EU requirements, the government has set up a Technical Working Group and a National Task Force to coordinate compliance efforts.
