Nigeria grows more groundnuts than any other country in Africa, a legacy immortalised by the famous groundnut pyramids that once towered over Kano, yet it still cannot press enough oil to satisfy its own kitchens. The country produces around 3 million metric tonnes of groundnuts a year, ranking third globally behind India and China, with output concentrated in northern states such as Kano, Kaduna, Taraba, Niger, Benue and Adamawa, according to an industry production guide.
A Storied Crop, a Persistent Gap
At their peak in 1973, the Kano pyramids reflected a groundnut output that reached about 1.6 million tonnes and accounted for a large share of West African production before the oil boom pulled attention away from farming, as documented by ThriveAgric. Today the picture is different. Despite Nigeria's scale, production of groundnut oil still trails the level of domestic demand, leaving a large and lucrative market underserved, according to the same production guide.
Prices Climb, Processing Follows
The squeeze has shown up at the checkout. Groundnut oil, one of the most widely used cooking oils in Nigerian homes, has risen by roughly 20 to 30 per cent across most regions over the past year on the back of costlier raw groundnuts, fuel and logistics, according to a market update. New capacity is slowly coming on stream, with a groundnut oil plant capable of crushing 40 tonnes a day being installed in Kano, as reported by an equipment supplier involved in the project.
Groundnut oil sits on the shelf beside the other cooking oils that FoodPrices Nigeria tracks across Lagos markets. Closing the gap between what Nigeria grows and what it processes is one of the surest routes to steadier prices for a kitchen staple.
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