Nigeria-France Trade Relations with Opportunities for Benue State

In 2023, Nigeria’s imports from France reached US$786,765,000, a 40% reduction over the traded value in 2022 (US$ 1,950,435,000). Nigeria’s imports from France consists mainly of mineral products (HS Code 27), fuels, mineral products and their distillation. Followed by nuclear reactors and machineries (US$104,560,000), electrical machineries and related products (US$38,123,000), industrial raw materials like starches etc. (US$ 33,825,000), diary produce (US$31,138,000), cereals (US$23, 431,000) and pharmaceutical products (US$ 22,034,000)   Nigeria’s overall export to France in 2023 was valued at US$ 3.9 billion consisting mainly of crude petroleum and mineral fuels (HS code 27). This was followed by soyabean grain products (US$60,799,000), followed by soyabean meal (US$32,908,000), fertilizer and cocoa products also featured in the Nigerian export to France in 2023 at US$12,500,000 and US$2,282,000 for fertilizer and cocoa respectively.   Scope for Increased trade

Products/HS Code	France Imports from World in 2023 (US$)	Nigeria’s Exports to France in 2023 (US$)	Scope for Nigeria to export to France
Mineral fuels - 27	107,391,621,000	3,851,793,000	Very high
Oil seeds (soya) - 12	2,646,685,000	60,799,000	Very high
Soyabean meal - 23	4,299,614,000	32,908,000	Very high
Fertilizer - 31	994,684,000	12,500,000	Very high
Cocoa & cocoa preparations - 18	4,118,244,000	2,282,000	Very high

Source: Trade map facility, ITC Geneva   From the above table, we see that Nigeria has tremendous scope to expand export to France in the above listed products, namely, crude petroleum, soyabean grains (whether or nor processed), soyabean meal, fertilizer and cocoa products. Nigeria can plan to increase trade in these products with France by as much as 5-10% over the next 2 years. This will generate significant foreign exchange and create local jobs for Nigerians. But of course, we have to examine our supply chains for the above listed products and ensure competitiveness in quality and price to be able to access the French market.   France’s import of livestock products from world markets (2021 to 2023)

Products/HS Code	2021	2022	2023
Meat of sheep and goats; fresh, chilled & frozen – 0204	Quantity: 106,233 MT Price: $8,420 Value: $894,481,860	115,451 $8,035 $927,648,785	121,504 $7,930 $963,526,720
Meat of Bovine animals, fresh or chilled – 0201	Quantity: 166,299 MT Price: $7,214 Value: $1,199,680,986	200,951 $7,571 $1,521,400,021	193,138 $7,918 $1,529,223,000
Meat of Bovine animals frozen - 0202	Quantity: 69,441 MT Price: $4,761 Value: $330,608,601	89,014 $6,047 $538,267,658	78,158 $6,168 $482,081,000

Source: Trade map facility, ITC, Geneva   From the above import prices for the above meat products by France, Nigeria can attempt to look critically at producing and exporting to the French market if our meat processors can be supported to meet international compliance standards. Our approach: Under the Made in Nigeria for Export (MINEx) initiative, we have created the Nigerian Red Meat Partnership and the Nigerian Fodder Partnership. These are private-public-producer partnership platforms to respond to quality and quantity for market penetration. The red meat partnership has Class A standard abattoirs with 13 operators with an installed capacity to process 720,000 cows to produce 246,240 carcasses and 195,840 MT and 135,360 MT of bone-in and bone-less beef respectively. Class B abattoirs are 11 in number and can produce 135,400 MT of carcasses after upgrade of their facilities. CDI will link these abattoirs with fattening centers through a supply chain management approach. Our fodder partnership has over 50,000 hectares available for fodder production namely, Rhodes grass and Alfalfa. We are currently responding to a 240,000 MT request from UAE for Rhodes grass and 140,000 MT of alfalfa hay export to Saudi by end of 2025.   Under the EU-Nigeria Agribusiness Platform, engagement can be made with French partners to expand Nigeria’s trade and investment with France. French SMEs will be interested to explore the African market under AfCFTA and to learn how they can set up in Nigeria and produce for the African market. The EU-Nigeria Agribusiness Platform was set up by the EU Delegation to Nigeria to expand trade and investment between Nigeria and the 28 countries of the European Union.   Recommended Actions for Benue State Government

1. Benue is currently number one producer of soyabean grain in Nigeria (202,000 MT 2023 data). Plan will be to increase soyabean cultivation massively through expanding planted areas through domestic direct investments (DDIs) and FDIs; help farmers adopt improved seed varieties and adopt improved agronomic practice through extension support to farmers to increase yields (thru private and public extension services). With irrigated production, Benue can get 9 MT per hectare per annum with 3 cropping as against the current less than 1 MT per annum per hectare rain-fed production. See attached plan to increase soyabean in Nigeria by CDI, FMAFS, and other partners.
2. Set up soyabean processing in the up coming industrial parks in Benue state. This will add value to the harvested soyabean, create jobs and give opportunity to earn taxable income through taxes and increase IGR for the state government.
3. Secure large supply contracts from France. France imported soyabean meal worth US$4.2 billion in 2023 and soyabean grains worth US$2.6 billion. The plan will be for Benue to capture a good slice of these markets over the next 2-3 years through aggressive primary production and secondary processing and exportation. In the above table is Frances’ soyabean and meal import in 2023 (US$2.6 billion and US$4.2 billion respectively); EU import of soyabean and meal in 2023 was US$9.5 billion and US$10.1 billion respectively. Benue needs to key into these market opportunities ASAP! The OVP FDI and Export Expansion Units can jointly help to make this happen.
4. Set up Export Production Villages (EPV) schemes in key soyabean production areas in Benue state so that women and youths can be connected to the global soyabean supply chain and improve their livelihoods within a short time.
5. The livestock sector also offers opportunities. See above table of Frances’ imports of livestock products which Benue can respond to. Already Benue state government through BENIPA and Commodities Development Initiative (CDI) have signed a partnership to cultivate 1,000 ha of Rhodes grass for export to the UAE. Feed is the foundation for sustainable livestock production.

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