Lagos – A trade promotion event organized by the Foreign Agricultural Service of the U.S. Mission, in collaboration with the California Wine Institute, took place to connect 18 California wineries with the Nigerian business community. This event aimed to strengthen agricultural trade ties between the United States and Nigeria.
Attendees at the event included more than 120 Nigerian wine importers, distributors, retailers, hospitality industry stakeholders, and wine enthusiasts who explored over 160 award-winning California wines. The wines ranged from crisp whites to bold reds and discussions centered on the growing market potential for U.S. wines in Nigeria.
The California Wine Institute also organized a specialized seminar for local wine importers and prominent Nigerian restaurateurs. This seminar highlighted opportunities for mutually beneficial trade.
Acting U.S. Consul General JoEllen Gorg emphasized the importance of the Foreign Agricultural Service in expanding U.S.-Nigeria agricultural trade. She noted that Nigeria represents the largest African market for U.S. wines, with exports reaching $7.8 million in 2024, marking a 65% increase from the previous year.
“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 percent of U.S. wine and ranks the fourth among world’s wine producers.”
Honore Comfort, Vice President for International Marketing at the California Wine Institute, pointed out that this event was an opportunity to showcase the quality and diversity of California wines, which have gained a strong global reputation. “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 serves as the trade organization for California wineries. The 2025 Africa Tasting Tour is a trade mission organized with support from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service. Alongside Lagos, the tour will also visit Nairobi, Kenya, and Cape Town, South Africa.
The Foreign Agricultural Service, the international division of the United States Department of Agriculture, provides various services to U.S. and Nigerian agribusiness companies, as well as governmental and non-governmental entities involved in agricultural trade and development. With a team of specialized agri-business professionals, the Foreign Agricultural Service aids Nigerian agribusinesses in improving profitability by connecting them to U.S. exporters offering new and competitive agricultural products and solutions.