Ghana’s Chief of Staff, Julius Debrah, has held talks with Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq on strengthening cooperation between Ghana and the Nigerian state in agriculture, agro-processing and investment.
The discussions also explored opportunities to add value to cocoa through local processing to increase its economic returns and improve farmers’ livelihoods.
The engagement comes as both Ghana and Nigeria seek to retain a greater share of the value generated by cocoa by expanding domestic processing, manufacturing and related industries rather than relying predominantly on exports of raw beans.
In Ghana, the government has committed to processing at least 50% of the country’s cocoa locally, up from an estimated 30 to 40 per cent currently processed domestically, according to Reuters. The target is part of efforts to strengthen the cocoa value chain and increase the economic benefits retained within the country.
The push for value addition comes amid volatility in global cocoa prices, which has affected the sector and raised concerns over farmers’ earnings. Ghana’s cocoa producer price was reduced from GH¢58,000 to GH¢41,392 per tonne in February 2026 after international prices fell and the country faced difficulties selling some of its cocoa stocks.
The Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) subsequently increased the producer price to GH¢42,400 per tonne for the 2026/27 season, effective September 25, 2026. The revised rate represents an increase of GH¢1,008, or about 2.4%, over the previous price and translates into GH¢2,650 for a 64-kilogramme bag. The new price represents 71.18% of the realised gross free-on-board value of cocoa.
Nigeria is also seeking to expand its domestic cocoa-processing industry. The country produces an estimated 300,000 tonnes of cocoa annually but processes only about 50,000 tonnes locally, leaving significant room to increase domestic manufacturing and capture more value from the crop.
Financing is among the measures being used to support Nigeria’s agro-processing sector. The Bank of Industry reportedly disbursed more than ₦164 billion in 2025 to over 3,500 agro-processing and food businesses, linking nearly 48,000 smallholder farmers to industrial value chains.
The bank has also secured a €60 million credit facility from the European Investment Bank to support value addition in cocoa and dairy, including processing and manufacturing. The facility is intended to help Nigerian businesses strengthen their operations and compete more effectively with larger multinational companies.
Debrah’s engagement with AbdulRazaq also comes ahead of the University of Offa’s maiden convocation ceremony.
Beyond cocoa, closer cooperation in agriculture, agro-processing and investment could create opportunities for businesses in Ghana and Nigeria to develop stronger commercial links and regional supply chains.
As intra-African trade expands under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), addressing barriers to cross-border trade will be important to helping businesses access wider markets, attract investment and build value chains that allow more of Africa’s agricultural produce to be processed within the continent.
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