From cocoa and coffee to cashews and olive oil, the continent’s most valuable farm exports are reshaping national balance sheets and attracting global capital, ARINZE NWAFOR writes
Ever wondered which of Africa’s crops qualify as “super crops”? I do. Increasingly, forward-looking business minds are recognising that in 2026, the continent’s agricultural exports are shaped less by volume alone and more by profitability, value addition, export diversification, and access to premium markets. These are the factors that ultimately determine which commodities generate the strongest economic returns, and where viable business opportunities lie.
Drawing on official first-quarter 2026 trade data from across Africa, this article reveals that a select group of agricultural commodities continues to account for the bulk of foreign-exchange earnings. Cocoa, coffee, cashews, tobacco, olive oil, tea, cotton, sesame, sugar and horticultural products remain the key drivers of export revenue across the continent’s five regions.
Here is a ranking of
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