Arguably one of the largest contributing sectors to Nigeria’s economy, Agriculture is very important for human survival and Nigeria’s growth and development. In 2019, Agriculture had a whopping 22.12% contribution to Nigeria’s GDP, these figures only show how important Agriculture is to the Nation’s growth. With the ban on meat importation within recent years, a lot of attention has been focused on livestock farming with Chicken, Fish, and Pig farming ranking top on the list.

Irrespective of this drift in focus, Crop farming cannot be ignored as it is a major means of human survival, production and processing of livestock products is already a predominantly profitable venture in the country. Crops are also very necessary in the rearing of animals as they serve as food and supplements to livestock.  All that being said, let’s look at five major crops to grow in Nigeria for profitability.

5 Best Crops To Grow In Nigeria For Profitability

1. Cassava

Producing over 34 million tons of tuberous roots annually, Nigeria sits on top of the list as the highest cassava-producing country in the world. Every part of cassava is economically important, even making it more profitable. ‘Garri’, arguably the most consumed food in Nigeria, is a gotten from cassava. It can be consumed in various forms and is affordable by even those regarded to be among the “poor economy” in the country. Besides garri, cassava can also be milled into a flour form has several uses, making it very profitable.

2. Rice

Being the most consumed staple in Nigeria, rice is highly sorted after in the Nigerian market. Always present in the menu of any occasion, and a Sunday favorite in many Nigerian homes, it accounts for 20% of Africa’s consumption. According to a report from fao.ng, Nigeria is the highest consumer and producer of rice in Africa, and the third-highest importer of rice in the world, importing about 1.9million tons of rice annually. This shows the opportunities present in the rice farming market in Nigeria. In an estimate made by the Agri-business times, a $10,000 investment will give you about 25-30% return in investment within a short period of about 1yr and 6months. With the right preservation methods, rice farming will prove to be a highly profitable venture in Nigeria.

3. Maize

A very important crop that can also be consumed in various forms, maize can be milled and converted to flour which can be used in producing several foods, including cakes, and varieties of snacks. It can be boiled and consumed as a delicacy, it can also be roasted and consumed as a snack. Maize is also actively used in animal feed production as a major source of energy, used in almost making feed for almost every animal. Grows best when planted along with a legume plant so it can provide manure for it and improve the quality of the maize production. Maize is also consumed all year round making it highly sort after and very profitable.

4. Yam

Being the fifth most harvested crop plant in Nigeria, and the most harvested and consumed tuber in the country, Yam cropping will guarantee the maximum yield. Recently, yam has been processed into a flour state making it consumable in different forms. If the soil is well-drained and not compacted, optimum yield is guaranteed when used in planting yams. Yam can optimally utilize farmland as a 100 by 100 plot of land can produce up to 10,000 tubers of yam when cultivated properly, and depending on the species and size of yam, it ranges between 200-500 naira per tuber of yam in the Nigerian market. Yams are not grown in the United States and are imported from other countries, creating more opportunities for profitability.

5. Plantain

Another highly profitable crop in Nigeria is Plantain, it utilizes farmland as it encourages mixed cropping. Also being processed into various other forms and being consumed both in its ripe and unripe state, plantain can be fried, boiled, and used in making porridges, making it appealing to many people across various age grades. Plantain can also be consumed by diabetic patients due to its hypoglycemic content which gives it the ability to manage diabetes.

There are other crops that will guarantee profitability in the agricultural sector, so the list is not exclusive.