FAOSTAT-based data put Nigeria’s banana output at 6.91 million tons in 2024, ranking it as the world’s sixth-largest grower after India, China, Indonesia, Ecuador, and Brazil. International crop statistics may differ in their treatment of bananas, plantains, bunch weights, and country reporting methods.

A CRISIL Intelligence projection cited by India’s Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority places Nigeria’s 2025 banana output at approximately 7.4 million tons. This is a projection rather than a confirmed crop estimate.

World Bank WITS data, drawn from UN Comtrade, show that Nigeria exported 43,802 kilograms of bananas, including plantains, fresh or dried, in 2024, valued at US$49,330. Shipments went mainly to Canada, India, and Gabon. By comparison, Cameroon exported 210,686 tons of bananas in 2024, up 1.8 per cent from 206,852 tons in 2023, according to the Association of Banana Producers of Cameroon.

Agricultural and Rural Management Training Institute Chief Executive Dr Olufemi Oladunni identified low domestic consumption and inadequate storage infrastructure as factors affecting the development of the banana value chain.

“Storage is highly impairing the production of bananas. When you produce it, if you do not move it immediately at maturity, it starts deteriorating within just a few days,” he said.

Oladunni said storage, transportation, and distribution systems are required because consumers generally prefer fresh bananas. He also called for investment in storage infrastructure, research, and market development to reduce post-harvest losses.

Gogreen Africa Initiative Executive Director Ambassador Adeniyi Sola Bunmi identified processing as another potential outlet for the country’s banana crop, including chips, flour, puree, and dried fruit.

He also identified pests and diseases, limited surveillance and extension services, post-harvest losses from cold-chain and logistics constraints, and low levels of value addition as challenges for the sector.