The federal government is mobilising stakeholders across the agricultural value chain for Nigeria’s participation in Fruit Logistica 2027 in Berlin, Germany, through a proposed €145,000 national pavilion.
The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Dr. Marcus Olaniyi Ogunbiyi, called for greater stakeholder support for Nigeria’s participation in Fruit Logistica 2027 in Berlin, Germany, at the pre-summit meeting for Fruit Logistica 2027, in Abuja on Wednesday as reported by PerSecondNews.
According to the ministry, agriculture employs more than 30 per cent of Nigeria’s labour force, but the country’s share of global agricultural exports remains below two per cent.
Fruit Logistica, the world’s leading trade fair for the fresh produce industry, covers the entire value chain from seed to sale, attracting more than 2,500 exhibitors from over 90 countries and more than 80,000 trade visitors annually.
Nigeria’s participation has been sustained for three consecutive years through the sponsorship and organisation of a national pavilion by ABG Paulus Limited.
However, African countries, including Kenya, South Africa, Egypt, Morocco and Ghana, have consistently maintained government-backed national pavilions, enabling them to secure long-term export contracts and expand their global presence.
Ogunbiyi described the pre-summit as an important step towards strengthening Nigeria’s agricultural exports.
“This Pre-Summit is not merely a preparatory meeting; it is a launchpad for Nigeria’s agricultural transformation,” the Permanent Secretary said.
The commodities Nigeria intends to promote include cocoa, cashew nuts, sesame seeds and ginger, alongside dried mangoes, pineapples, papayas, bananas, dates, coconuts and citrus fruits.
In the second quarter of 2026, cocoa was valued at ₦154.3 billion, cashew nuts at ₦268.6 billion and sesame seeds at ₦96 billion, according to the ministry’s release.
Nigeria is Africa’s second-largest cocoa producer, while its ginger, prized for its high gingerol content, commands premium demand in nutraceutical and spice markets.
Dried mangoes, pineapples and papayas are also increasingly sought after for healthy snacking, presenting further opportunities for Nigerian produce in international markets.
Ogunbiyi commended the organised private sector for mobilising businesses nationwide and called for support to raise awareness, mobilise export-ready enterprises and facilitate business-to-business linkages.
He said the efforts would strengthen Nigeria’s agricultural export profile and help the country maximise trade and investment opportunities.
In his remarks, the Chief Executive Officer of ABG Paulus Limited, Mr. Ambrose Okojie, said that Nigeria’s active participation at Fruit Logistica plays a pivotal role in driving national economic growth by creating direct global trade linkages for our agricultural products.
“This initiative directly advances the President’s vision to diversify the economy, boost non-oil exports, and elevate Nigerian produce on the world stage,”he noted.
Okojie appealed to the Federal Government, ministries, state governments and key industry stakeholders across the public and private sectors to support Nigeria’s participation.
‘’The Federal Government, Ministries, State Governments, and Key Industry Stakeholders across both the public and private sectors to partner with us, support, and actively sponsor Nigeria’s participation at the forthcoming Fruit Logistica 2027’’
In his welcome address, the Director, Agribusiness and Market Development Department, Mr. Ayodele Olawumi, highlighted agriculture’s contribution to the national economy and the livelihoods of Nigerians.
‘’ Nigeria’s agricultural sector is vast and resilient, it contributes nearly a quarter of our GDP and sustain the livelihoods of millions of households across our nation.”
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