Nigeria’s cashew exports to the European Union rose to 3,035 metric tonnes in 2025, marking a 12 per cent increase from the 2,709 tonnes recorded in 2024 and standing out in a year marked by uneven supply from several African producers.
New trade data from global commodity platform Mundus Agri show that Nigeria was among a small group of exporters that expanded shipments to the EU despite intensifying competition and sharply rising prices across the international cashew market. The performance reflects renewed momentum in Nigeria’s cashew sector at a time when supply constraints and structural shifts are reshaping global trade flows.
Beyond Europe, Nigeria’s overall cashew exports surged strongly. In the first half of last year, global cashew exports from the country climbed to $398.135 million, representing an 81.15 per cent increase compared with $219.780 million recorded in the same period of 2024. The figures underscore cashew’s growing importance within Nigeria’s non-oil export portfolio and its rising contribution to foreign exchange earnings.
Mundus Agri reported that total EU cashew imports reached 193,772 tonnes in 2025, up 4.6 per cent from 185,189 tonnes the previous year. Vietnam maintained its dominant position in the European market, increasing exports by 4.7 per cent to 138,287 tonnes, while Côte d’Ivoire recorded the strongest growth among major suppliers, expanding shipments by nearly 35 per cent to 32,153 tonnes. In contrast, India’s exports to the EU fell by almost 14 per cent to 8,774 tonnes, highlighting the growing competitive pressure on traditional Asian processors from African raw nut producers.
The value of the EU cashew market rose even faster than volumes. According to Mundus Agri, the bloc’s cashew import bill climbed to just over €1.24 billion in 2025, almost 21 per cent higher than in 2024. The increase was driven largely by rising prices, with the average import price reaching €6.41 per kilogramme, reflecting tight global supply and strong demand from health-conscious consumers.
Although Nigeria remains a relatively small supplier to the EU compared with leading exporters, the increase in shipments translated into stronger export earnings and renewed attention on the country’s cashew industry. Analysts note that Nigeria could significantly expand its footprint in the European market if longstanding challenges around quality consistency, logistics, traceability and domestic processing capacity are addressed.
Export data show that cashew nuts ranked as Nigeria’s third most exported product out of 234 items in the first half of last year, underlining the crop’s growing economic relevance. Cashew kernel exports also recorded strong growth, rising by over 40 per cent in value and improving their position within the country’s export rankings, signalling increasing demand for value-added products.
Nigeria currently ranks among the world’s top cashew producers, supported by vast arable land and a large base of smallholder farmers. Rising global demand for cashew nuts and kernels across Europe, North America and Asia continues to create opportunities for exporters, processors and rural producers, particularly if more value can be retained locally through processing and branding.
However, the sector continues to face challenges that limit its full potential. Price volatility, climate-related risks, quality control issues and limited access to finance for smallholder farmers remain major constraints. Logistics bottlenecks and insufficient processing infrastructure also reduce Nigeria’s ability to compete with countries that have moved further along the value chain.
For small businesses and agribusiness MSMEs, the cashew sector presents both opportunity and urgency. Higher global prices and expanding demand offer income growth prospects, but only if investments are made in quality improvement, processing capacity and supply chain efficiency. Without these, Nigeria risks remaining largely a raw commodity supplier while other producers capture higher margins.
As global competition intensifies, industry analysts say Nigeria’s long-term success in the cashew market will depend not just on export volumes, but on its ability to build a resilient, value-driven cashew ecosystem that supports farmers, strengthens rural livelihoods and positions the country as a reliable supplier of premium cashew products to global markets.
