Africa, a growing market for Catalan agri-food companies

Africa is a strategic market for the Catalan agri-food sector. In 2023, Catalonia exported €683 million worth of agri-food products, 414,400 tonnes by volume, through 695 companies.

The most exported agri-food products in this market are fine food - especially extracts, essences and concentrates; vegetable juices, waters, beers and other drinks; confectionery, cocoa and sweets; and ready meals, stocks, preserves, jams and marmalades -; wines and sparkling wines; i, vegetable oils, especially olive oil.

Nigeria is Africa's largest economy by GDP, with a population of 226.5 million, projected to reach 260 million by 2030, which will generate greater food demand. In 2023 the country was the world's 16th largest food and drink consumer, worth €117,181 million. By 2030 it is expected to climb sharply to 10th place with €363,725 million, overtaking economies such as Germany, France, Brazil, Indonesia, Italy and the United Kingdom, and thus quadrupling its food spending.

This means forecast growth in food and drink spending over the next 7 years of +210% compared with current spending and will become the world's 5th fastest-growing market up to 2030, behind Venezuela, Argentina, Iran and Turkey. Nigeria therefore has strong growth potential and represents a major opportunity for Catalan products in the near future. In fact, over the past 5 years they have grown by more than 200% in value and 73% in volume. Nigeria is currently the 79th destination market for Catalan agri-food exports (out of 199 markets in total).

If you would like to know about other commercial activities we run in Africa, you can write to Susanna Barquin at sbarquin@gencat.cat or to Kamel Jalloul at kameljalloul@gencat.cat.