Senator Abubakar Kyari, CON, Minister of Agriculture and Food Security of Nigeria, has called for fairer global trade rules as Nigeria participates in the Cocoa Beyond Borders 2026 Conference in the United Kingdom.
The conference provides a platform for dialogue on reforming trade practices affecting cocoa-producing countries in Africa and other regions.
Nigeria is taking part in the conference alongside global policymakers, industry leaders, financiers, and farmer representatives to address power imbalances and compliance challenges in the global cocoa sector.
Delivering a keynote address, Kyari challenged existing trade and compliance regimes, stating that cocoa-producing nations “must not remain rule-takers in a system where the rules are made without their meaningful input.”
Speaking under the conference theme, “Rules Without Recourse? Navigating Compliance, Power, and Trade Justice in the Cocoa Sector,” the minister warned that sustainability frameworks would fail if they undermine farmer livelihoods and national sovereignty.
He said that “compliance cannot be just if it weakens producer economies while protecting markets elsewhere,” adding that policies designed without producer input risk deepening inequality across the cocoa value chain.
Kyari also cautioned against the weaponisation of ESG and environmental regulations as non-tariff barriers, noting that climate action must move forward alongside fairness and equity in global trade systems.
He reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to reclaiming value across the cocoa supply chain, stressing the need to move beyond raw cocoa exports into processing, branding, and stronger market participation.
The two-day Cocoa Beyond Borders Conference is examining ESG compliance, digital traceability, climate finance, price volatility, and cocoa innovation, while positioning cocoa as a strategic asset in global trade justice discussions globally.
