Follow Adewale's journey exporting premium cocoa beans from Lagos to Rotterdam, navigating AfCFTA benefits and European phytosanitary requirements.
Nigeria
Netherlands
Company
Adewale Farms Ltd
Location
Lagos, Nigeria
Size
SME (50 employees)
Established
2018
First-time export to EU market with complex certification requirements including EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) compliance and extensive phytosanitary documentation.
Identified 5 potential buyers in Rotterdam through trade fairs and Gloseg marketplace.
Applied for HACCP, phytosanitary certificate, and NEPC export license. EUDR pre-compliance assessment completed.
Sent 50kg samples via air freight. Buyer confirmed quality meets EU Grade B standards.
Negotiated CFR Rotterdam terms, 30% advance payment, balance against shipping documents.
Loaded 20ft container (18 metric tons) at Lagos port. Transit time: 18 days.
$485,000
Export Value
12 weeks
Time to First Shipment
18
Documents Prepared
$8,200
Certification Cost
Most common West African cocoa corridor. 18-day sea transit via Maersk/MSC. Regular sailings from Apapa port.
🚢 Lagos (Apapa) → Rotterdam Europoort
Cameroon is Africa's 5th largest cocoa producer. Similar documentation but uses CEMAC Certificate of Origin.
🚢 Douala → Amsterdam
Côte d'Ivoire is world's #1 cocoa exporter. Well-established logistics with dedicated cocoa terminals.
🚢 San Pedro → Le Havre, France
Follow a structured learning path to replicate this success.
