Browse Data and Analysis

Nigeria is one of Africa's largest retail consumer markets, however in 2023-2024, difficult economic conditions and changing government policies have taken a bite out of the country's food retail prospects. This report provides an overview of Nigeria’s retail sector, including market entry strategies, structure, distribution channels, and best export prospects.

Côte d’Ivoire ranks as Africa’s second largest producer of crude palm oil (CPO); trailing just behind Nigeria’s production, it is a pivotal player in the sub-Saharan regional market.

Imports of wheat, rice, and corn in marketing year (MY) 2024/25 are estimated to increase as the economy stabilizes, inflation decreases, and the government implements a temporary zero-duty import policy for the afore-mentioned commodities until December 31.

Côte d’Ivoire’s retail food industry is on an upward trajectory; it is a major importer of food products and ingredients. Food imports will grow in the near- to medium-term since the retail food industry is unable to meet demand through domestic food manufactures alone.

The animal feed industry in South Africa is well established and highly scientific. Efficient formulations have enabled significant expansion of the livestock sector driven by a surge in local meat consumption.

The Kenyan dairy and beef sectors are important drivers of the country’s economic growth, yet both sectors are unable to meet domestic demand. The challenges facing Kenya’s dairy and beef sectors present opportunities for U.S. technical capacity building in research, knowledge, and technology transfer.

Post forecasts 2025 chicken meat imports will be maintained at 190,000 metric tons (MT). Although chicken meat imports have been declining for years due to devaluation of the Angolan currency (kwanza), growing food price inflation, significant limitations on foreign exchange are expected to continue to repress imports, resulting in 2024 and 2025 reflecting the lowest level of consumption since 2016.

Kenya's agricultural and related products imports reached $3.81 billion in 2023, of which 15 percent was consumer-oriented food products. Increased urbanization, a fast-growing population and middle class, an expanding modern food retail, and food...

Post forecasts that chicken meat production will increase by three percent to 1.65 million tons in Marketing Year (MY) 2025 as a result of a strengthening domestic sector. Post raises the 2024 production estimate by 6 percent to 1.59 million tons as the industry has rebounded from the 2023 Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) outbreak.

MY2024/25 cotton area harvested for Mali, Senegal, and Burkina Faso is forecast at a combined 1.2 million HA, a one percent increase from the previous MY. A late start of the rainy season delayed planting in all three countries, and insecurity in Burkina Faso continues to prevent planting in many areas.

The South African Department of Agriculture is in the process of finalizing requirements related to “control management systems,” which may include additional requirements of documentation to support label claims for imported food products.

On July 19, 2024, the South African government published a new sugar import tariff of R1,093 per metric ton (US$60.09/MT). This tariff change was triggered by a downward trend in global sugar prices and will apply to sugar imported into the Southern Africa Customs Union (SACU).