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Nigeria’s leading agricultural export products in the second quarter of 2026 were dominated by cashew nuts, cocoa beans and sesame seeds, with the top 10 products generating a combined N747.54 billion during the period.
Nairametrics Research analysis of the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) Foreign Trade in Goods Statistics data for Q2 2026 showed that cashew nuts in shell emerged as the largest agricultural export product, valued at N268.62 billion, followed by standard quality cocoa beans at N154.31 billion and sesamum seeds at N96.03 billion.
The combined value of the 10 leading agricultural export products in Q2 2026 was 34.8% lower than the N1.15 trillion recorded by the 10 leading products in Q1 2026. It was also 39.0% lower than N1.23 trillion recorded by the top 10 products in Q2 2025.
The ranking also changed significantly from the first quarter, with superior quality cocoa beans, which dominated exports in Q1, recording a sharp decline in Q2. Cashew nuts in shell subsequently emerged as the largest agricultural export, while standard quality cocoa beans recorded a major increase.
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Top 10 agricultural products Nigeria exported in Q2 2026
10. Soya beans seed – N11.44 billion
Soya beans seed completed the top 10, generating N11.44 billion in Q2 2026.
This was more than double the N5.20 billion recorded in Q1 2026 and placed the product among the leading agricultural export categories during the quarter.
9. Crude Shea (Karite) oil – N12.66 billion
Crude Shea oil ranked ninth, with exports worth N12.66 billion.
The value increased from N9.14 billion in Q1 2026, making crude Shea oil one of the agricultural products that recorded higher export values during the quarter.
8. Natural cocoa butter – N27.60 billion
Natural cocoa butter exports were valued at N27.60 billion in Q2 2026.
This was lower than the N41.69 billion recorded in Q1 2026 and significantly below the N105.07 billion recorded in Q2 2025.
The decline shows that the weaker performance of cocoa exports in Q2 extended beyond cocoa beans to some processed cocoa products.
7. Other cut flowers and flower buds – N31.43 billion
Other cut flowers and flower buds suitable for ornamental purposes generated N31.43 billion in Q2 2026.
This was a substantial increase from N12.23 billion in Q1 2026, but slightly lower compared to the N33.41 billion recorded in Q2 2025.
The category ranked seventh among Nigeria’s leading agricultural export products during the quarter.
6. Flours and meals of soya beans – N36.41 billion
Exports of soya bean flours and meals stood at N36.41 billion in Q2 2026.
The figure was below the N53.20 billion recorded in Q1 but significantly higher than the N20.64 billion recorded in Q2 2025.
The product therefore recorded a year-on-year increase of about 76.4%.
5. Soya beans excluding seeds – N50.22 billion
Soya beans excluding seeds ranked fifth, with exports valued at N50.22 billion, representing a 61.2% decline from N129.27 billion in Q1 2026.
The quarter-on-quarter decline highlights a weaker export value compared to the previous quarter and an even weaker value year-on-year as the product was not among the top 10 agricultural export products in Q2 2025.
4. Superior quality cocoa beans – N58.82 billion
Superior quality cocoa beans contributed N58.82 billion to Nigeria’s agricultural export earnings in Q2 2026.
This was significantly below the N596.90 billion recorded in Q1 2026 and the N277.02 billion recorded in Q2 2025.
The Q2 figure represents a 90.1% decline from Q1, causing superior quality cocoa beans to fall from the largest agricultural export product in Q1 to fourth place in Q2.
The sharp movement in cocoa exports was one of the biggest changes in Nigeria’s agricultural export mix during the quarter.
3. Sesamum seeds – N96.03 billion
Sesamum seeds generated N96.03 billion, making it Nigeria’s third-largest agricultural export product in Q2 2026.
However, exports declined from N153.78 billion in Q1 2026, representing a fall of 37.6%.
Compared with Q2 2025, when sesame exports was valued at N78.00 billion, the commodity recorded an increase of 23.1% year-on-year.
2. Standard quality cocoa beans – N154.31 billion
Standard quality cocoa beans ranked second, with exports valued at N154.31 billion.
This represents a sharp increase from just N2.40 billion in Q1 2026, although it remained below the N208.47 billion recorded in Q2 2025.
The quarter-on-quarter increase of more than 6320.0% moved standard quality cocoa beans from a relatively minor export category in Q1 to Nigeria’s second-largest agricultural export product in Q2.
1. Cashew nuts in shell – N268.62 billion
Cashew nuts in shell ranked as Nigeria’s largest agricultural export product in Q2 2026, generating N268.62 billion.
The commodity also topped the ranking in Q2 2025 at N352.67 billion, although its export value fell by 23.8% year-on-year.
Despite the decline, cashew remained Nigeria’s biggest agricultural export product during the quarter.
Cocoa remains important, but the ranking changed sharply
Cocoa remained one of Nigeria’s most important agricultural export commodities in Q2 2026, although its composition changed considerably.
- Standard quality cocoa beans generated N154.31 billion, while superior quality cocoa beans contributed N58.82 billion. Natural cocoa butter added another N27.60 billion.
- Combined, these three cocoa categories generated N240.73 billion during the quarter.
However, this was substantially below the value recorded by the same three categories in Q2 2025, when they generated about N590.56 billion.
- The most notable development was the sharp reversal in superior quality cocoa exports. The category generated N596.90 billion in Q1 2026 but fell to N58.82 billion in Q2.
- At the same time, standard quality cocoa beans moved in the opposite direction, rising from N2.40 billion to N154.31 billion.
This shows that the composition of Nigeria’s cocoa exports can change significantly from one quarter to another, even as cocoa remains a major component of the agricultural export basket.
Cashew and soybean products strengthen the export mix
Cashew and soybean products were also major contributors to Nigeria’s agricultural exports in Q2.
Cashew nuts in shell generated N268.62 billion, while the three soybean categories in the top 10 namely soya beans excluding seeds, soya bean flour and meals, and soya bean seed, generated a combined N98.07 billion.
Together, cashew and soybean products contributed N366.69 billion, representing almost half of the value generated by the 10 leading agricultural export products during the quarter.
The figures reinforce the importance of Nigeria’s agricultural commodity base beyond cocoa and show the contribution of cashew and soybean-related products to export earnings.
What this means
The Q2 2026 figures show that Nigeria’s leading agricultural export products remain concentrated around a relatively small number of commodities.
The top three products (cashew nuts in shell, standard quality cocoa beans and sesamum seeds) generated N518.96 billion, accounting for about 69.4% of the N747.54 billion generated by the top 10 products.
This concentration creates both an opportunity and a risk.
Strong global demand for cashew, cocoa and sesame can significantly increase Nigeria’s agricultural export earnings. However, weaker prices, lower production, changes in export volumes or tighter international quality requirements for any of these commodities could have a sizeable impact on export performance.
The sharp changes between Q1 and Q2 also highlight the volatility of Nigeria’s agricultural export mix.
For exporters and producers, this reinforces the need to diversify across different markets and products instead of relying too heavily on a few.
