From $70B Trade Deficit to Diaspora Boom: Unlocking African Agrifood Exports with Seller Africa

Summary:
In this powerful episode of The Lasgidi Farmer Podcast, we unpack Africa’s trade paradox with Seyi Dipo-Ogunleye, PR & Marketing Specialist at Seller Africa, the e-commerce platform connecting African SMEs to global buyers.

Africa’s merchandise trade surged 13.9% to $1.5 trillion in 2024 after a 6.3% drop in 2023, yet the continent still closed the year with a $70 billion deficit.

Nigeria posted a ₦7.46 trillion surplus in Q2 2025 (+44.4% QoQ), while agrifood exports soared 300%+ to ₦884 billion in Q3 2024.

But the continent faces a $30 billion agrifood trade deficit, despite agriculture being its economic backbone.

Seyi reveals how Seller Africa turns this tide:

• Bridging supply chain chaos, rejections (e.g., Nigerian beans, smoked fish), spoilage, and inconsistent quality through e-commerce-driven SOPs and real-time market linkage.
• Trapping value in Africa: Helping SMEs move beyond raw cocoa (95% of global output, just 13% of $150B market) into branded, culture-rich products.
• Countering cultural appropriation: where foreign firms rebrand African staples and outcompete locals, by empowering sellers with authenticity, equity, and diaspora-first strategies.
• Leveraging the 350 million-strong African diaspora (sending $53 billion in remittances) and rising global love for African cuisine to fuel SME growth.

From why culture is Seller Africa’s secret weapon to government policy fixes for a thriving export ecosystem, this episode is a masterclass in turning trade deficits into diaspora-driven prosperity.

Key Highlights:

• Why Africa earns lesser from agrifood exports and how Seller Africa flips the script.
• E-commerce as the antidote to supply failures, value loss, and middleman exploitation.
• Real strategies for SMEs to outmaneuver cultural appropriators and dominate diaspora markets.
• Actionable advice for exporters: mindsets, tools, and rapid global entry tactics.
• A bold call to African governments: Build the infrastructure for a $100B+ agrifood export future.

Guest: Seyi Dipo-Ogunleye, PR & Marketing Specialist, Seller Africa
Host: The Lasgidi Farmer
Duration: [50:09]

Keywords: #AfricanTrade #AgrifoodExports #SellerAfrica #DiasporaDemand #CulturalEconomy #SMEgrowth #AfCFTA

Listen now! Because the future of African wealth is not in raw beans or cocoa pods. It is in productivity, value addition, story, infrastructure, culture, connection, and digital command.