Our Correspondent | Agriculture
Agricultural trade between Nigeria and the United States is projected to exceed $700 million in 2025, marking one of the strongest bilateral growth trajectories in recent years.
The U.S. Agricultural Counsellor, Chris Bielecki, disclosed this during a visit to the Apapa Port in Lagos alongside the U.S. Consul General, Rick Swart, where they witnessed the offloading of 50,000 metric tonnes of U.S.-grown wheat valued at approximately $15 million.
The shipment, destined for Flour Mills of Nigeria, underscores the country’s position as the third-largest export market for U.S. wheat globally. According to Bielecki, trade volumes between both nations are on course to more than double in the coming year, driven largely by sustained demand from Nigeria’s food processing sector and growing commercial partnerships.
“In 2025, U.S.–Nigeria agricultural trade is on track to more than double to over $700 million, benefiting farmers, businesses, and consumers on both sides of the Atlantic,” Bielecki said in a statement shared via the U.S. Mission Nigeria’s official X handle.
He noted that the deepening trade relationship delivers mutual economic benefits — supporting American farmers, enabling Nigerian agribusinesses to expand value-added processing, and ensuring Nigerian consumers access high-quality food ingredients.
The latest development comes against the backdrop of fluctuating bilateral trade patterns. Earlier reports indicated that the United States had reduced its purchases of Nigerian goods by about $615 million in the first eight months of the year following tariff adjustments introduced under President Donald Trump’s administration. However, agricultural trade appears to be rebounding strongly, bolstered by private-sector demand and renewed diplomatic engagement between both nations.
With wheat remaining a key staple for Nigeria’s milling and confectionery industries, analysts say the projected surge in agricultural trade could help stabilise supply chains and support domestic food production amid ongoing challenges in the global commodity market.