Nigeria’s cocoa bean exports to the United States reached $142 million in 2025, marking a substantial increase from the $21.7 million recorded in 2024.
The US Mission in Nigeria disclosed these figures, noting that the sharp growth is driven by rising demand for Nigerian cocoa in the American market. The jump in export value signals expanding trade opportunities for the Nigerian agricultural sector, even as domestic producers grapple with various operational hurdles.
The increase in revenue comes at a time when the Nigerian cocoa industry is seeking to recover from years of fluctuating yields and high production costs. While the expanded access to the US market offers a boost to foreign exchange earnings, the ability to sustain this momentum depends on the country’s capacity to increase local output.
The US Mission’s report, which detailed the surge in cocoa bean exports to the US, shows a dramatic shift in the value of beans being shipped to North America. Analysts suggest that the demand is largely driven by the American confectionery and food processing industries, which rely heavily on high-quality cocoa beans.
Production constraints challenge export sustainability
Despite the windfall in export value, the Nigerian cocoa industry continues to face critical production constraints. Smallholder farmers, who form the backbone of the sector, are struggling with aging cocoa trees, inadequate access to improved seedlings, and the rising cost of fertilisers and pesticides.
Climate change has also played a role, with irregular rainfall patterns affecting harvest cycles in major cocoa-producing states such as Ondo, Osun, and Edo. These environmental factors, combined with pest infestations, have frequently limited the total volume of cocoa available for export, creating a gap between high global demand and local supply capacity.
To bridge this gap, industry stakeholders have called for increased government intervention through improved extension services and better access to credit for farmers. Enhancing the local value chain, including more domestic processing of cocoa beans into butter and powder, is also seen as a way to move Nigeria up the global value chain and protect against price volatility.
The current surge in US demand places immediate pressure on Nigerian exporters to secure more consistent supplies. For the sector to capitalise on this growth, the industry must address the structural issues affecting crop yields and farmer productivity.
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