The federal government has said Nigeria’s share of global agricultural exports remains below 2 per cent despite the sector contributing about 24 per cent to Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and employing over 30 per cent of the labour force.
The Head, Department of Information in the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Ezeaja Ikemefuna, disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday.
According to the statement, the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Marcus Ogunbiyi, recently stated this in Abuja at the Pre-Summit Meeting for Fruit Logistica 2027.
Mr Ogunbiyi said the low export share underscores the urgency for Nigeria to leverage global platforms like Fruit Logistica, the world’s leading trade fair for the fresh produce industry.
He said the fair, scheduled to be held in Berlin, Germany, covers the entire value chain from seed to sale and attracts more than 2,500 exhibitors from over 90 countries and over 80,000 trade visitors annually.
According to him, the platform offers unparalleled opportunities for Nigeria to showcase its agricultural potential, secure export partnerships, attract investment and learn from global best practices.
The permanent secretary disclosed that for three consecutive years, Nigeria’s representation at the fair was sustained through the sponsorship and organisation of the national pavilion by ABG Paulus Limited.
He said African peers such as Kenya, South Africa, Egypt, Morocco and Ghana have consistently maintained strong government-backed national pavilions, enabling them to secure long-term export contracts and expand their global footprint.
“Nigeria cannot afford to lag behind,” he said.
Mr Ogunbiyi announced that Nigeria has been provisionally allocated a 120-square-metre National Pavilion at Fruit Logistica 2027 at a total cost of €145,000, subject to confirmation within the stipulated timeframe.
He said the pavilion will serve as a unified platform for exporters, agribusinesses and government institutions to showcase products, engage international buyers and secure strategic partnerships.
He listed commodities where Nigeria holds comparative advantage to include cocoa, valued at N154.3 billion in Q2 2026, positioning Nigeria as Africa’s second-largest producer; cashew nuts at N268.6 billion; sesame seeds at N96 billion; and ginger, prized for its high gingerol content.
Others include dried mango, pineapple and papaya, banana, dates, coconuts and citrus.
“Together, they represent Nigeria’s potential to compete globally in high-value agricultural exports,” he said.
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He described the Pre-Summit as a launchpad for Nigeria’s agricultural transformation and a national engagement platform for exporters, investors, commodity associations, chambers of commerce, financial institutions and development partners to explore export development, market access and technology transfer.
“This Pre-Summit is not merely a preparatory meeting; it is a launchpad for Nigeria’s agricultural transformation,” he said.
In his remarks, the Chief Executive Officer of ABG Paulus Limited, Ambrose Okojie, said Nigeria’s active participation at Fruit Logistica directly advances the President’s vision to diversify the economy and boost non-oil exports.
“Nigeria’s active participation at Fruit Logistica plays a pivotal role in driving national economic growth by creating direct global trade linkages for our agricultural products,” Mr Okojie said.
He appealed to the federal government, ministries, state governments and private sector stakeholders to support and sponsor Nigeria’s participation at the 2027 fair.
