The Federal Government has dismissed reports suggesting it plans to ban the export of raw cocoa beans, clarifying that its focus is on promoting value addition and expanding local processing capacity within the cocoa industry.
Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari, made the clarification in a statement on Friday amid growing public discussions over the government’s policy direction on cocoa exports.
Kyari said the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu remains committed to developing a globally competitive cocoa industry through increased local processing while maintaining Nigeria’s position as a reliable exporter of cocoa to international markets.
“Our objective is value addition, not an export ban,” the minister stated.
According to him, raw cocoa exports will continue to play a significant role in the country’s agricultural export portfolio even as the government pursues measures aimed at boosting domestic processing and industrialisation.
“Raw cocoa exports will continue to play an important role as we expand domestic processing capacity.
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 said.
The minister explained that the policy aligns with the Federal Government’s broader agricultural transformation agenda under the Renewed Hope Agenda, which seeks to enhance value chains, increase export earnings and create employment opportunities across the sector.
He further noted that efforts to strengthen traceability systems and ensure compliance with international standards are part of strategies to improve Nigeria’s competitiveness in the global cocoa market and secure access to premium export destinations.
“This approach is also consistent with our efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s agricultural exports through improved traceability and compliance with international standards, ensuring continued access to premium global markets,” he added.
Reaffirming the government’s position, Kyari stressed that there was no plan to halt raw cocoa exports, saying the focus remains on ensuring that more value is retained within the country through increased local processing.
“The Federal Government is not banning raw cocoa exports. We are promoting value addition so that Nigeria captures more value from its cocoa while remaining competitive in the global market,” the minister said.
Nigeria is one of Africa’s leading cocoa-producing countries, with the crop serving as a major non-oil export commodity and source of livelihood for thousands of farmers across cocoa-producing states.
The government’s renewed emphasis on value addition is expected to attract investments into cocoa processing and manufacturing, thereby increasing revenue generation and job creation in the sector.
