FG denies plan to ban raw cocoa exports, says focus is on value addition
By Aboki Forex —
The Federal Government has denied reports that it plans to ban the export of raw cocoa beans. The government says its priority is to promote value addition across Nigeria’s cocoa industry, not to restrict exports.
The clarification came in a statement on Friday from the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari. He said the government wants to encourage 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 the government is saying
Kyari said the ministry had noted public discussions suggesting that the Federal Government intended to ban raw cocoa bean exports. 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. 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. This ensures continued access to premium global markets while enhancing the competitiveness of Nigerian cocoa.
Cocoa export trends in 2026
Nigeria’s agricultural export sector faced significant headwinds in the first quarter of 2026, according to data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) released 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. It generated N41.69 billion and accounted 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 the numbers mean
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. The policy signals a shift toward increasing the value derived from Nigeria’s cocoa industry without disrupting existing export markets for raw cocoa beans.
For Nigerian farmers and businesses, the government’s stance means continued access to raw cocoa export markets while incentives for local processing gradually increase. This could boost farmgate prices over time and strengthen the naira through higher non-oil export earnings.