The Foreign Agricultural Service of the U.S. Mission, in partnership with the California Wine Institute, hosted a trade promotion event in Lagos to strengthen agricultural trade ties between the United States and Nigeria.
The event connected 18 California wineries with Nigerian business stakeholders, highlighting opportunities in the country’s growing wine market.
Over 120 wine importers, distributors, retailers, hospitality professionals, and wine enthusiasts attended the wine-tasting event, which featured more than 160 award-winning California wines, ranging from crisp whites to bold reds.
In addition to the tasting session, the California Wine Institute organised a seminar for local wine importers and top Nigerian restaurateurs, discussing mutually beneficial trade opportunities.
Acting U.S. Consul General JoEllen Gorg emphasized the key role of the Foreign Agricultural Service in fostering U.S.-Nigeria agricultural trade. She noted that Nigeria is the largest market in Africa for U.S. wines, with exports reaching $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 globally,” Gorg said. “Home to over 5,000 wineries—most of them family-owned, multi-generational businesses—California produces over 80% of U.S. wine and ranks fourth among the world’s top wine producers.”
Honore Comfort, Vice President for International Marketing at the California Wine Institute, said the event was an opportunity to showcase the diversity and globally recognized quality of California wines.
“We are excited to kick off our 2025 Africa Tasting Tour in Lagos, aiming to increase awareness and interest in California wines across the continent,” Comfort stated.
The California Wine Institute, the trade organisation for California wineries, is conducting the 2025 Africa Tasting Tour with support from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service. The tour will also include stops in Nairobi, Kenya, and Cape Town, South Africa.
The Foreign Agricultural Service, the international arm of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, supports American and Nigerian agribusinesses by fostering trade connections and offering solutions to enhance agricultural growth in a dynamic business environment.
