The National Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines, and Agriculture (NACCIMA) has partnered with the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ) to enhance regional integration, improve cross-border agricultural trade, and expand opportunities for micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs).
The partnership, as part of the ECOWAS Agricultural Trade (EAT) programme, seeks to address persistent obstacles, including border bottlenecks, weak value chain linkages, and inadequate infrastructure, that have hindered Nigeria’s participation in regional food markets.
Speaking at the launch of the EAT Program, themed ‘Strengthening ECOWAS Agricultural Market to Drive Food Security and Regional Prosperity,’ stakeholders emphasised that the move is crucial as the country continues to underperform in agricultural exports despite the sector’s significant contribution to GDP.
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Jani Ibrahim, president of NACCIMA, said that despite the agricultural sector’s significant role in the economy and its contribution to sustaining livelihoods, Nigeria’s agricultural exports remain modest.
Ibrahim stated that this project intends to address longstanding bottlenecks that hinder trade through the capacity building of traders and SMEs within the agribusiness value chain, enabling them to meet requirements for regional markets.
“By unlocking the potential of regional agricultural trade, we are not just moving goods; we are unlocking livelihoods, creating value, deepening regional economic integration, and contributing to food security for millions across West Africa,” Ibrahim said.
Sola Obadimu, director general, NACCIMA, added that agriculture remains a major pillar of Nigeria’s economy, contributing about one-quarter of its GDP and supporting millions of livelihoods.
Obadimu reiterated that despite its vast potential, the nation’s agricultural export earnings remain below expectations, even as the wider ECOWAS region, with a population of over 400 million people, continues to offer huge untapped market opportunities.
The DG pointed out that the EAT Project is therefore timely, as it strengthens the collective effort to boost intra-regional agricultural trade, improve standards, remove non-tariff barriers, and support SMEs to participate more competitively in regional value chains.
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“Under this project, NACCIMA will lead a series of activities focused on capacity building and improving access to market information. We aim to ensure that Nigerian agribusinesses are better positioned to take advantage of opportunities within the ECOWAS market and contribute meaningfully to national and regional growth,’ he said.
Other stakeholders at the event highlighted persistent trade bottlenecks, ranging from border inefficiencies to inadequate storage and logistics, as barriers that must be addressed to make regional integration meaningful.
Arne Schuffenhauver, program lead, GIZ- EAT, said that ECOWAS trade is one of the biggest markets for food products in West Africa, noting that GIZ partnered with NACCIMA because the association gives services to members and non-members on how to access markets better, how to trade, and how to go through inspections and customs efficiently.
Schuffenhauver said that for the moment, cross-border trade is not recognised as a huge business because the narrative at the moment is that it’s too small to invest in.
“It means there are a lot of opportunities. There are still challenges for small and medium traders to really invest and have access to finance.
“We just have to channel funds and credits into these directions so that we can invest more into these businesses for the benefit of traders and also consumers,” he said.
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Nancy Okpa, principal trade promotion officer, Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC), noted that the launch marks a significant milestone in regional economic cooperation by creating a structural platform for producers, processors, exporters, policy makers, and development partners.
Okpa said that through this collaboration, trade barriers are reduced and opportunities for inclusive growth are expanded, noting that as Nigeria continues to defend its core values, agriculture remains central to our national and economic strategy.
“This initiative comes at a crucial time when strategic patterns are needed to unlock the immense potential of the West African agricultural sector,” she said.
