Nigeria is positioning itself to become the world’s top exporter of groundnuts, with local production rising to 4.3 million metric tons in 2025. The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security disclosed the figures, noting that renewed government policies, mechanised farming, and private sector investments have significantly boosted yields across key producing states like Kano, Jigawa, Kaduna, and Katsina.
Historically, groundnuts were a cornerstone of Nigeria’s agricultural exports before the oil boom of the 1970s diverted focus. Today, with global demand for groundnuts and peanut oil projected to grow steadily due to their use in food, cosmetics, and biofuel, Nigeria is aiming to reclaim its former dominance.
The government has launched new initiatives, including subsidised fertilizer access, improved seed varieties, and farmer training schemes. Partnerships with agritech firms are also driving better storage, processing, and market linkages to reduce post-harvest losses that have historically undermined exports.
Currently, Argentina, India, and the United States dominate the global groundnut trade. Nigeria’s renewed push could see the country not only feed its domestic markets but also significantly expand exports to Asia and Europe, where demand is strongest.
Experts caution, however, that logistics bottlenecks, poor transport infrastructure, and inconsistent policy frameworks remain major hurdles. Addressing these challenges will be key to transforming Nigeria’s production advantage into global export leadership.
If successful, groundnuts could join cocoa and sesame seeds as part of Nigeria’s billion-dollar agricultural export basket—signalling a diversification of the economy beyond oil.