Designing an Export Promotion Strategy for Agricultural Commodities in South South Nigeria

South South Nigeria produces a range of agricultural commodities with significant export potential, and designing a professional export promotion strategy provides a structured pathway to realising this potential within the AfCFTA and global trade frameworks. This study designed an export promotion strategy for agricultural commodities in Rivers, Delta, Bayelsa, Edo, Akwa Ibom, and Cross River States, South South Nigeria. A professional strategy design methodology was applied, incorporating value chain competitiveness assessments for rubber, palm oil, cocoa, and seafood; consultations with 25 agribusiness exporters, NEPC officials, and commodity traders; and benchmarking against Côte d'Ivoire and Ghana agricultural export promotion models. Assessment confirmed that the South South zone has significant underutilised export capacity, with only 12 percent of palm oil and 8 percent of rubber production currently exported. Quality certification deficiencies and inadequate port handling infrastructure were the primary export barriers. The strategy specifies commodity-specific export development programmes, quality certification support through NAFDAC and SON, logistics infrastructure investment, and an export financing facility through the Bank of Industry. Expert review by ten agricultural trade economists confirmed the strategy's commercial and logistical soundness. Recommendations include the Federal Government adopting the strategy as the South South component of the National Agricultural Export Strategy, designating Onne and Calabar ports as agricultural export gateways, and establishing zone-specific agro-export processing zones.

Keywords: export promotion, agricultural commodities, South South Nigeria, AfCFTA, agribusiness strategy