Earlier this month, a U.S. Grains & BioProducts Council (USGBC) delegation, led by USGBC Deputy Regional Director for Africa Mohamed Salah Bouthour, traveled to Nigeria to meet with leading breweries and feed industry players to expand market share for U.S. distiller’s dried grains with solubles (DDGS) and sorghum.
The Council achieved a major milestone with the official launch of its Quality Samples Program (QSP) in Nigeria, opening new doors for U.S. sorghum and corn co-products in one of Africa’s largest and most dynamic agricultural markets.
“Nigeria is a major producer of sorghum, but there is a significant opportunity for U.S. exports to fill a need in the country’s brewing sector, as the industry showed a growing interest in U.S. sorghum’s consistent quality and versatility compared to local supply,” Bouthour said.
“Likewise, industry interest in utilizing DDGS in poultry and aquaculture diets could result in major demand and the Council is proud to offer technical support to assist in feed formula transitions.”
The Council’s team, along with staff from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service (USDA’s FAS) in Nigeria, met with representatives from Nigeria’s three largest breweries to discuss opportunities for future collaboration and the potential to expand the use of U.S. sorghum in the local industry.
The group also conducted a site visit to a plant and poultry farm where a QSP trial on DDGS efficiency is underway and discussed optimal utilization of U.S. corn co-products, and plans for future trials to generate demand for U.S. feed grains.
Additional meetings with a feed mill and aquaculture producer resulted in plans for another DDGS trial for seafood diets and a follow-up on potential feed grain sales resulting from the Council’s buyers and sellers’ conference in Abidjan, Ivory Coast earlier this year.
“Looking ahead, the Council will leverage these achievements to deepen technical cooperation through specific training programs, online courses and regional workshops while showcasing the outcomes of the DDGS trial at Nigeria’s upcoming Poultry and Feed Trade Show” Bouthour said.
“By establishing strong partnerships and delivering hands-on results, the Council has positioned U.S. corn co-products as trusted solutions for Nigeria’s livestock and aquaculture industries, building a foundation for sustainable, long-term trade growth.”
Learn more about the Council’s work in Nigeria here.