Nigeria Now Open to a Wide Range of U.S. Red Meat Products
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In a significant market access win for U.S. agriculture, Nigeria is now open to a wide range of U.S. beef and pork products. While Nigeria previously accepted only a limited number of processed meat items, the USDA Export Library now states that U.S. red meat products can be exported to Nigeria unless they are specifically excluded.
U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) Africa Representative Matt Copeland says the access gains come after discussions over the past couple of years with key Nigerian policymakers coordinated by USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS). He says restaurants and retailers are anxious to be first in their market to offer USDA Prime beef as well as higher quality pork cuts.
Nigeria still does not accept beef or pork offal or bone-in hams. Smoked, dried and cured beef and pork products are also excluded. But beef cuts and all pork cuts except bone-in hams are now eligible to be shipped to Nigeria, which has the sixth largest population in the world at more than 240 million. It is the third largest economy in Africa, behind South Africa and Egypt.