Nigeria’s cocoa bean exports to the United States increased by 554% to $142 million in 2025, compared with $21.7 million recorded in 2024.
The United States Mission in Nigeria disclosed the figures on Tuesday.
The growth represents an additional $120.3 million in export value within one year, although the figures do not establish how much of the increase resulted from higher international cocoa prices or larger shipment volumes.
Cocoa remains one of Nigeria’s leading agricultural exports, providing foreign exchange earnings for exporters and supporting economic activity across farming, transportation, warehousing and commodity trading.
The increase in US-bound shipments comes as Nigeria seeks to expand its agricultural export markets and reduce dependence on crude oil earnings.
However, the country’s cocoa industry remains heavily dependent on exports of raw beans, limiting the proportion of value retained through domestic processing and manufacturing.
The Federal Government has consequently intensified efforts to encourage investment in cocoa processing facilities and the production of higher-value products, including cocoa butter, powder and chocolate.
At the Cocoa Value Addition Summit held in Abuja in July, President Bola Tinubu outlined plans to strengthen local processing capacity and improve the competitiveness of Nigeria’s cocoa industry.
According to the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Nigeria’s cocoa-grinding capacity has exceeded 120,000 tonnes annually, with further investment expected to support expansion.
The government also launched a programme to distribute one million improved cocoa seedlings to farmers as part of efforts to increase production and improve crop quality.
For exporters, the expansion of cocoa earnings from the United States presents opportunities to strengthen commercial relationships with international buyers and increase foreign exchange receipts.
Nevertheless, the industry remains exposed to fluctuations in global cocoa prices, production costs and international demand.
Investment in processing infrastructure could help Nigerian businesses capture additional revenue from finished and semi-processed cocoa products rather than relying predominantly on raw commodity exports.
The sector also faces challenges involving farm productivity, transportation infrastructure, financing and compliance with international supply-chain requirements.
While the latest figures demonstrate a substantial increase in the value of Nigeria’s cocoa exports to the United States, sustained growth will depend on production capacity, competitive pricing and the development of domestic processing industries.