The Federal Government has dismissed reports suggesting it plans to ban the export of raw cocoa beans, clarifying that its policy is aimed at promoting value addition rather than restricting exports.

In a statement issued on Friday, the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari, said the government’s objective is to encourage increased 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.

Alleged ₦69m Fraud: Court Grants Blessing CEO Bail, Restricts Travel

Kyari said the ministry had noted public discussions claiming that the Federal Government intended to prohibit raw cocoa exports, stressing that such reports did not reflect the government’s position. “Our objective is value addition, not an export ban,” the minister stated, adding that the policy is designed to attract investment in cocoa processing, boost farmers’ incomes, create jobs and increase Nigeria’s earnings from every tonne of cocoa produced.

According to the minister, the initiative aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which seeks to build a globally competitive cocoa industry by expanding domestic processing while maintaining Nigeria’s position as a reliable exporter of cocoa. He noted that raw cocoa bean exports would remain an important part of the sector as processing capacity grows, adding that the government is also strengthening agricultural exports through improved traceability and compliance with international standards to enhance access to premium global markets.

The clarification comes against the backdrop of declining agricultural exports. According to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), Nigeria’s agricultural exports fell by 31.2 per cent year-on-year to ₦1.17 trillion in the first quarter of 2026 from ₦1.7 trillion recorded in the corresponding period of 2025. The figure also represented an 11.39 per cent decline from the ₦1.32 trillion recorded in the fourth quarter of 2025.

Despite the drop in overall agricultural exports, cocoa remained the country’s leading non-oil export commodity. Superior quality cocoa beans generated ₦596.9 billion in export earnings during the first quarter of 2026, accounting for about 51 per cent of total agricultural exports. When cocoa butter, standard quality cocoa beans and roasted cocoa beans are included, cocoa-related products contributed more than ₦643 billion to Nigeria’s agricultural export earnings.

The government said its value-addition strategy is intended to help Nigeria earn more from cocoa by increasing the production and export of processed cocoa products without disrupting the existing market for raw cocoa beans.