News in Brief:
– The US Mission and California Wine Institute held a trade promotion event in Lagos, noting Nigeria’s position as the largest African market for US wines.
– It aimed to expand trade opportunities through wine tastings and specialised seminars, and marks the start of a broader African tour to strengthen agricultural trade relations.
In a bid to bolster agricultural trade relations, the United States Mission’s Foreign Agricultural Service, in partnership with the California Wine Institute, recently hosted a trade promotion event in Lagos.
The initiative brought together 18 California wineries and the Nigerian business community, featuring a tasting of over 160 award-winning wines.
Additionally, the event drew more than 120 Nigerian wine importers, distributors, retailers, hospitality professionals, and enthusiasts, who explored the growing market for U.S. wines within Nigeria.
Seminar focuses on trade opportunities
Beyond the tasting, a specialised seminar was conducted for local wine importers and leading Nigerian restaurateurs, designed to highlight opportunities for mutually beneficial trade partnerships.
Essentially, the seminar aims to deepen understanding of the California wine industry and facilitate stronger business connections.
The Acting US Consul General JoEllen Gorg noted the Foreign Agricultural Service’s crucial role in expanding US-Nigeria agricultural trade.
She stated that Nigeria is now the largest market in Africa for US wines, with exports reaching $7.8 million in 2024, a significant 65% increase from the previous year.
Also, Gorg highlighted the quality of Californian wines, noting that the state, home to over 5,000 wineries, produces over 80% of US wine and ranks as the fourth-largest wine producer globally.
The institute aims for expanded African presence
Honore Comfort, VP for International Marketing at the California Wine Institute, stated that the Lagos event served as the launch of their 2025 Africa Tasting Tour, aimed at increasing awareness and interest in California wines across the continent.
Comfort highlighted the event as an opportunity to showcase the diversity and quality of California wines, which have garnered international acclaim.
The tour is supported by the US Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Foreign Agricultural Service, will also include stops in Nairobi, Kenya, and Cape Town, South Africa, further solidifying trade relationships across the region.
The Foreign Agricultural Service, acting as the international arm of the agency, facilitates agricultural trade and development, providing support to both American and Nigerian agribusiness.
