Agribusiness expert and Co-Founder at StorGit, John Dale, has said growing success of Nigeria’s agricultural exports should be a wake-up call for locals to take charge of the sector and keep the profits within the country, adding that the biggest beneficiaries are foreign players, not Nigerians.
Speaking in a recent post, Dale called on Nigerians with capital to seize opportunities in the agricultural sector, urging them to invest in the full agricultural value chain, from farm to processing and export.
According to him, over $3.2 billion worth of non-oil goods were exported from Nigeria in 2025 alone, reaching markets as diverse as the Netherlands, the USA, and India. He highlighted that trade within the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) has further opened doors for Nigerian goods across Africa. While this sounds like a win for Nigeria, Dale emphasized that the biggest beneficiaries are foreign players, not Nigerians.
“70% of those benefiting are foreigners. Last year, agricultural exports brought in trillions. But foreign middlemen took the lion’s share, leaving real farmers with barely enough to survive — not enough to grow.”
He further noted that foreign companies such as Singapore’s Olam and India’s Indorama Eleme Fertiliser are among the largest exporters in the country, dominating the sector without significant local reinvestment.
Dale’s post drew attention to the fact that foreign middlemen control key supply chains, including those run by Indian, Chinese, Lebanese, and Dutch companies, which prevents the money from circulating back into Nigeria’s local economy.
According to him, grassroots farmers and local processors are often left out of the prosperity generated by agricultural exports. “Most of this money never flows back to build our farms or factories. Grassroots farmers don’t see dividends. Local processors can’t expand,” he said.
The agribusiness expert further explained that while exports push food prices up locally, there are no direct investments being made to cushion these costs or secure the country’s food supply. “The skills, systems, and market control sit in boardrooms from America to China to Europe — not here,” he remarked.
Dale called on Nigerians with capital, from millionaires to those who can pool resources to step up and take control of the agricultural value chain. “That new car can wait. That holiday can wait. That extra house can wait. Gather your family and friends. Find foreign partners if you must. Pool your resources. Get into the agro value chain,” he said.
In his view, even small-scale operations can make a significant impact. “Many started small — one farm, one warehouse, one idea. They found their niche, moved fast, and scaled.
“If Nigerians don’t own the chain, Nigerians don’t own the gain. And we won’t control our food prices, our jobs, or our future,” he submitted.
