FG denies plan to ban raw cocoa exports, pushes value addition

The Federal Government has denied reports that it plans to ban the export of raw cocoa beans, stressing that its priority is to promote value addition across Nigeria’s cocoa industry rather than restrict exports.

The clarification was contained in a statement issued on Friday by the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari.

According to the minister, the government’s focus is on encouraging more local processing of cocoa into higher-value products such as cocoa butter, cocoa powder, and chocolate, while allowing raw cocoa exports to continue as domestic processing capacity expands.

What they are saying

The Minister said the ministry had taken note of public discussions suggesting that the Federal Government intended to ban the export of raw cocoa beans. He stressed that such claims do not reflect the government’s position.

• “The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security has noted public discussions suggesting that the Federal Government intends to ban the export of raw cocoa beans. This is not the position of the Government. Our objective is value addition, not an export ban,” Kyari stated.
• “Our goal is to create an enabling environment that encourages more investment in processing, increases farmers’ incomes, creates jobs, and enables Nigeria to earn more from every tonne of cocoa produced.”

Kyari added that, under the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the government remains committed to building a globally competitive cocoa industry by encouraging greater local processing while maintaining Nigeria’s position as a reliable exporter of cocoa.

He explained that raw cocoa exports would continue to play an important role as Nigeria expands domestic processing capacity.

He also noted that the government’s approach aligns with efforts to strengthen agricultural exports through improved traceability and compliance with international standards, ensuring continued access to premium global markets while enhancing the competitiveness of Nigerian cocoa.

Get up to speed

Nigeria’s agricultural export sector faced significant headwinds in the first quarter of 2026, according to data released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) on June 8. Total agricultural trade stood at N2 trillion, with exports accounting for N1.17 trillion.

• Agricultural exports fell by 31.20% compared with N1.7 trillion recorded in the corresponding quarter of 2025.
• Exports also declined by 11.39% from N1.32 trillion recorded in the fourth quarter of 2025.
• Despite the overall decline, natural cocoa butter ranked as the sixth most exported agricultural product, generating N41.69 billion and accounting for 3.56% of agricultural export earnings.

The performance of cocoa butter highlights Nigeria’s gradual shift toward exporting more processed cocoa products, although raw cocoa beans remain the country’s dominant cocoa export.

What you should know

The Federal Government’s emphasis on value addition comes as cocoa continues to dominate Nigeria’s agricultural exports, making the sector a key driver of non-oil export earnings.

• Superior quality cocoa beans generated N596.9 billion in export earnings during the first quarter of 2026, accounting for about 51% of total agricultural exports.
• When cocoa butter, standard quality cocoa beans and roasted cocoa beans are included, cocoa-related products contributed more than N643 billion to agricultural exports.
• The government’s strategy is aimed at encouraging more domestic processing so that Nigeria can earn more from cocoa exports through higher-value products such as cocoa butter, cocoa powder and chocolate.

The policy signals a shift toward increasing the value derived from Nigeria’s cocoa industry without disrupting existing export markets for raw cocoa beans.