Nigeria targets 500,000-tonne cocoa output by 2025
The Federal Government has unveiled plans to boost Nigeria’s cocoa production to 500,000 tonnes by 2025 while meeting strict European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) standards.
Speaking at the Nigeria-EU Cocoa Roundtable in Abuja, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Agribusiness and Productivity Enhancement, Kingsley Uzoma, said cocoa has become a strategic tool for economic diversification, accounting for 29% of agricultural exports and 5.6% of non-oil exports.
According to the National Bureau of Statistics, Nigeria’s cocoa exports rose by 606% in the last quarter of 2024, from N171 billion to N1.2 trillion. Uzoma said the sector supports over 300,000 smallholder farmers and contributes about 6% of global supply.
He emphasised that meeting EUDR requirements—such as traceability and proof of deforestation-free supply chains—would not only protect the environment but also boost yields by up to 50%, encourage local processing, and attract climate finance.
The government, he said, is investing in blockchain, satellite mapping, and farmer support programmes while exploring a dedicated cocoa sector credit line. Efforts are also underway to designate a government agency to manage cocoa sector data for transparency.
Minister of Trade and Investment, Olajumoke Oduwole, described the EU compliance mandate as both a challenge and an opportunity, noting that the EU accounts for over 60% of Nigeria’s cocoa exports. She stressed the importance of technology and satellite imaging in ensuring compliance, productivity, and funding access for farmers.
Oduwole added that the cocoa sector is key to driving foreign exchange earnings, job creation, and food security, aligning with President Bola Tinubu’s goal of achieving a $1 trillion economy.
