Agro exports crash 31% as port delays, pesticides trigger global rejections

***15 containers of hibiscus rejected in Mexico

***48-hour cargo clearance stretches to three weeks in Nigeria

By Cynthia Alo

Nigeria’s agricultural exports suffered a sharp 31.2 per cent decline in the first quarter of 2026 (Q1’26) as prolonged port delays, excessive pesticide application, outdated chemical preservatives and failure to obtain required phytosanitary certification combined to trigger increasing rejection of the country’s farm produce in international markets.

Latest data from the National Bureau of Statistics, NBS, showed that agricultural exports declined to N1.172 trillion in Q1’26 from N1.704 trillion recorded in the corresponding period of 2025.

The figure also represented an 11.39 per cent decline from N1.323 trillion recorded in the fourth quarter of 2025, Q4’26.

Agricultural value chain experts warn that systemic failures, worsened by poor post-harvest handling, are rapidly eroding the competitiveness of the ‘Made-in-Nigeria’ agro brand and threatening the country’s access to premium global markets.

The development comes amid mounting concerns over rising economic losses to exporters, with stakeholders calling for an urgent overhaul of grassroots farming practices, quality assurance systems and border logistics to stem the growing wave of export rejections.

The NBS data showed that the country’s top agricultural exports remained Superior Quality Cocoa Beans valued at N596.90 billion, Sesame Seeds worth N153.78 billion, Soya Beans (excluding seeds) at N129.27 billion, Cashew Nuts in Shell valued at N119.76 billion, and Flours and Meals of Soya Beans worth N53.20 billion.

Asia remained Nigeria’s biggest destination for agricultural exports, accounting for N529.45 billion, followed by Europe with N500.34 billion, while the Netherlands, Belgium, India and Canada also ranked among major export destinations.

The domestic decline mirrors a broader global push for stricter compliance with international food safety standards.

Opening the 49th Session of the Codex Alimentarius Commission in Geneva on July 6, 2026, Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organisation, FAO, Qu Dongyu, announced an additional USD500,000 allocation to strengthen digital infrastructure and capacity building for developing countries implementing international food safety standards.

The FAO chief warned that confidence in global food trade depends largely on effective implementation of food safety standards.

According to him, “Impact depends on implementation – without implementation these standards cannot achieve their intended benefits.”

Qu added that international food standards contribute far beyond food safety by helping countries build trust, reduce waste and create more competitive and equitable markets as they transform agrifood systems to become more efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable.

Agric ministry laments

Confirming the gravity of the challenge at home, Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Abubakar Kyari, last month inaugurated a Technical Working Group to investigate the recurring rejection of Nigeria’s agricultural exports and submit its findings within two months.

According to the minister, Nigeria has over the years, recorded several cases of export rejection due to non-compliance with Maximum Residue Limits (MRLs) and other sanitary and phytosanitary requirements.

He noted that repeated rejections have resulted in significant economic losses for stakeholders across the agricultural value chain.

15 containers of zobo rejected

One of the most striking examples emerged during the 2026 SheExport Conference, where Founder of Women in Agribusiness, Trade and Export (WATEX), Dr. Queen Okpa, revealed that a shipment of 15 containers of Hibiscus flower (Zobo) was rejected at the Mexican border after laboratory tests detected residues of outdated chemical preservatives.

She stated: “A friend of mine had 15 containers of hibiscus turned back from Mexico last year because when they were tested, the whole shipment failed quality controls.

“The issue comes down to source and traceability. The preservatives used on that hibiscus were chemicals that have been banned for years in other countries.

“Many nations have strict policies and specifications regarding maximum allowable percentages of certain elements. If you exceed that limit, they will throw your products away or send you back with them. Our beans and rice have faced similar bans.”

Okpa further emphasized that lack of standardized post-harvest handling remains a critical loophole, particularly regarding high toxin levels in local commodities.

She said: “Data shows that the European Union allows a maximum aflatoxin level of just 4%, while the ECOWAS standard is 20%. Shockingly, recent tests on commodities in our local markets showed contamination levels between 65% and 95%.

“We can reduce this by 70 to 80% simply through better post-harvest handling. Government and stakeholders need to go to the grassroots farming communities and provide infrastructure like solar-powered dehydrators so these women can dry produce sanitarily, rather than exposing them to contamination on open ground floors or bags.”

Port inefficiency, delays

Speaking on the same issue during a radio programme on agribusiness, Managing Consultant at Bdelium Limited, Dr. Adelaja Adesina, singled out port inefficiencies as a critical threat to the shelf life and competitiveness of Nigeria’s agricultural exports.

According to him, cargo processing that takes 48 hours at ports in Benin Republic and Ghana takes two to three weeks at Nigerian ports, leaving many perishable commodities unable to meet buyers’ quality requirements before they arrive at their destinations.

He said:   “There are so many reasons that produce gets rejected. Number one has to do with quality. If you don’t meet their quality, you will be rejected.

“Also, part of the reason is the time we take to transport or export the product. What you can do in 48 hours, like in the Republic of Benin or the port in Ghana, it takes two to three weeks here, and some of these products have shelf life. So that is part of the thing we need to tackle.”

Abuse of chemicals

Speaking during a national programme, Programme Director of Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF), Joyce Brown, raised alarm over indiscriminate use of chemicals by farmers, warning that the practice is directly responsible for a significant proportion of Nigeria’s export rejections.

Citing research by the Amalgamated Agric Practitioners of Nigeria (AAPN), Brown disclosed that 65 per cent of active ingredients in chemicals used by Nigerian farmers are classified as highly hazardous pesticides, while more than 80 per cent of farmers apply such substances on their produce.

She said: “We can be sure that we are eating pesticides that are highly hazardous. These chemicals are banned in Europe, where they are imported from. NAFDAC in 2024 also said more than 60 percent of our food exports, especially to the European Union, are banned because they contain excessive levels of these pesticides.”

Sabotage by use of pesticides

Molecular biologist, Ifeanyi Casmir, noted that unrestricted circulation of outlawed pesticides within Nigeria directly sabotages international trade regulations.

He pointed out that even when regulatory bodies announce bans on dangerous substances, weak enforcement allows these chemicals to remain easily accessible to farmers, eventually turning up as toxic residues on export commodities.

Casmir stated: “The reality is that chemicals and pesticides that have been officially banned for years are still heavily circulated in our local markets. You can easily purchase highly hazardous chemicals, including Sniper (Dichlorvos), within a short radius or online.

“When farmers continuously use these heavy chemical treatments, the runoff destroys soil fertility and creates dangerous pesticide accumulations in crops.”

Poor compliance with standards

In a chat with Vanguard on the same issue, National President of the Cocoa and Coffee Farmers Alliance, Comrade Adeola Adegoke, attributed the lack of National Quarantine certification and poor compliance with Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs) as major systemic gaps undermining Nigeria’s export competitiveness.

He said: “Major problems are contamination with the use of excessive pesticides like dichlorvos, which is very synthetic, and the presence of aflatoxins, salmonella and others.

“The failure to meet up with the required certification and standards on phytosanitary and sanitary requirements through the Nigeria Agricultural Quarantine Service is a serious challenge. The maximum residue limit must be adhered to strictly, especially at the US and EU borders.”

Threat to agro reputation

Also speaking with Vanguard, Trade Representative of the Federal Republic of Uganda to Nigeria and Ghana, Mr. Ani Charles Bassey-Eyo, warned that recurring rejection of Nigerian agricultural exports poses a long-term threat to the country’s reputation in global agricultural trade.

He said: “The recurring rejection of Nigerian agricultural exports should be viewed as more than a trade issue; it is fundamentally a competitiveness and reputation issue. It weakens confidence in the ‘Made-in-Nigeria’ brand, reduces our ability to command premium prices, and limits access to high-value export markets.”

Bassey-Eyo urged the Federal Government to move beyond committee-level interventions by implementing end-to-end reforms covering traceability systems, grassroots compliance awareness, expanded access to quality assurance infrastructure and standardized inspection processes.

According to him, “The technical team must be inclusive. It should engage not only government agencies but also farmers, exporters, commodity associations, logistics providers, processors, and quality assurance professionals. The most effective solutions will come from those directly involved in the value chain.”

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