Food supply
Nigeria is the leading consumer of rice in Africa and the second largest globally, and while it is one of the largest producers of rice in Africa, it is also the largest importer of rice. Nigeria is also the largest producer of cassava, yam and cowpea in the world. Other significant crops include groundnut, palm oil and cocoa.
Fisheries is a significant sector, accounting for 3-4% of the GDP, according to the UN’s FAO, but 60% of the fish consumed is imported.
Domestic production of livestock is considered far below the needs of the country meaning there is a significant import business for meat and animal products.
In 2022, it was reported that Nigeria spent $2.8bn importing just four ingredients: rice, wheat, sugar and fish.