Nigeria must secure its agro-export future

Nigeria cannot afford to sleepwalk into the European Union’s new deforestation regime. The warning that the country could put more than $1bn, or about N1.4tn, in annual agro-export earnings at risk should be treated as an economic emergency requiring urgent response. The European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) takes effect on December 30, 2026, for large and medium-sized operators, while micro and small operators generally have until June 30, 2027.The regulation covers cocoa, coffe