By Atoyebi Nike
The Avocado Society of Nigeria (ASN) says it is set to transform the nation’s avocado sector by introducing the high-yielding Hass variety, projected to generate more than N12 billion annually.
ASN President, Ambassador Adeniyi Sola-Bunmi, explained that the Hass avocado matures in three years, has higher market value, and could position Nigeria for global competitiveness. He noted that smallholder farmers dominate local production but remain discouraged by misconceptions that avocados take too long to bear fruit.
To scale output, ASN has established a demonstration farm and international nursery in Abeokuta to produce export-grade seedlings, while also developing commercial farms across states including Imo, Ogun, Abia, Enugu, Ebonyi, Edo, Akwa Ibom, Delta, Cross River, and Oyo.
Nigeria recently strengthened ties with Kenya, Africa’s top avocado exporter, to boost seedling development and knowledge transfer. Sola-Bunmi said the model, encouraging farmers to start small with three to five trees, could help Nigeria quickly rise into Africa’s top 10 producers.
With the global avocado market valued at $20 billion and expected to hit $26.7 billion by 2030, Nigeria is eyeing a significant share of the trade in what is widely regarded as “green gold.”
