The Foreign Agricultural Service of the U.S. Mission, in partnership with the California Wine Institute, hosted a trade promotion event in Lagos, connecting 18 California wineries with the Nigerian business community and strengthening agricultural trade ties between the two countries.
More than 160 award-winning California wines, ranging from crisp whites to bold reds, were showcased during a wine-tasting event attended by over 120 Nigerian wine importers, distributors, retailers, hospitality industry stakeholders, and wine lovers who discussed the growing market potential for U.S. wines in Nigeria.
Beyond the tasting experience, the California Wine Institute organised a specialised seminar for local wine importers and leading Nigerian restaurateurs, highlighting opportunities for mutually beneficial trade.
Acting U.S. Consul General JoEllen Gorg underscored the pivotal role of the Foreign Agricultural Service of the U.S. Mission in expanding U.S.-Nigeria agricultural trade.
She explained that Nigeria is the largest market in Africa for U.S. wines, with exports valued at $7.8 million in 2024, a 65% increase from 2023.
“The United States is proud to offer the highest quality products to consumers around the world. California wines represent some of the best in the world,” Acting Consul General Gorg said. “Home to over 5,000 wineries, most of them family-owned, multi-generational businesses, California makes over 80 per cent of U.S. wine and ranks the 4th among world’s wine producers.”
Honore Comfort, Vice President for International Marketing at the California Wine Institute, explained that the trade promotion event was an opportunity to showcase the diversity and quality of California wines that have earned an excellent reputation globally.
“We are excited to kick off our 2025 Africa Tasting Tour in Lagos to increase knowledge of and interest in California wines across the continent,” Comfort added.
The California Wine Institute is the trade organisation of California wineries. The 2025 Africa Tasting Tour is a trade mission organised with support from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service.
In addition to Lagos, the Africa tour includes stops in Nairobi, Kenya, and Cape Town, South Africa.
The Foreign Agricultural Service is the overseas arm of the United States Department of Agriculture, offering a variety of services to American and Nigerian agribusiness companies and government and non-government entities involved in agricultural trade and development.
Staffed with dedicated agri-business specialists, the Foreign Agricultural Service helps Nigerian agri-businesses to scale their business profitability by connecting them to U.S. exporters of new and competitive agricultural and food solutions that can help them evolve in a rapidly changing business environment.
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