Port Delays and High Charges Are Undermining Nigeria’s Agricultural Exports

Nigeria’s push to grow non-oil exports is being constrained by the cost and uncertainty of moving farm produce to international buyers. Delays, disputed charges, container shortages, documentation problems and weak coordination at ports are raising costs for exporters of cocoa, cashew, sesame and other commodities. Agricultural exports reportedly fell 31.2% year-on-year in the first quarter of 2026, dropping to ₦1.172 trillion from ₦1.704 trillion. Industry operators link part of the decline to port delays, quality failures and documentation issues that can lead to rejected shipments. The Nigerian Shippers’ Council has acknowledged concerns over multiple export procedures, high port costs and inefficient cargo handling. Its interventions reportedly prevented billions of naira in unjustified demurrage and other charges. However, lasting improvement will require transparent pricing, digital documentation, reliable inland transport, storage and aggregation centres, and better coordination among agencies. Nigeria’s export diversification plan will depend not only on producing more crops, but also on getting them to foreign buyers on time, in good condition and at predictable costs. Without an efficient logistics chain linking farms, inspection services, ports and shipping lines, higher agricultural output may still deliver weak export earnings.

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