What is Ogbono? Why Buy It?
Ogbono refers to the seeds of the wild African bush mango tree (Irvingia gabonensis), a fruit-bearing species native to the tropical rainforests of West and Central Africa. These seeds are highly valued for their thickening properties, nutritional benefits, and economic significance.
When ground, Ogbono seeds form a mucilaginous, gelatinous texture when cooked, making them a staple ingredient in traditional African soups, especially in Nigeria, Cameroon, and Ghana. This unique ability to thicken soups has made Ogbono an essential commodity in many households.
Ogbono seeds are rich in healthy fats, protein, fiber, and essential minerals such as calcium, magnesium, and potassium. They are used in soups, sauces, and even as a thickening agent for stews, known for aiding digestion, promoting heart health, and supporting weight management. Due to its unique culinary properties, Ogbono has a growing market among African diaspora communities and health-conscious consumers worldwide.
Applications/Uses of Ogbono
Ogbono is widely used in food, health, and cosmetic industries. Its versatility makes it valuable beyond traditional cooking.
Culinary Uses
Ogbono Soup
A popular West African dish made by cooking ground Ogbono seeds with palm oil, vegetables, meat, and seafood.
Soup Thickener
Used to give a rich, velvety texture to stews and sauces.
Snacks and Baking
Some innovative recipes incorporate Ogbono flour into bread, cakes, and energy bars.
Health and Medicinal Uses
Weight Management
The fiber content promotes satiety, reducing food intake.
Cholesterol Control
Helps lower bad cholesterol (LDL) and improves heart health.
Digestive Health
Supports digestion by promoting gut-friendly bacteria.
Blood Sugar Regulation
Contains compounds that help regulate glucose metabolism.
Cosmetic and Industrial Uses
Skin Care
The oil extracted from Ogbono seeds is used in moisturizers and anti-aging creams.
Hair Care
Ogbono oil is an ingredient in some hair growth and conditioning products.
Soap and Lotion Production
Due to its high-fat content, it is used in making soaps and body lotions.
Top Producing/Exporting Countries of Ogbono
Ogbono grows naturally in the rainforests of West and Central Africa. The leading producers and exporters include:
Nigeria
- The largest producer of Ogbono globally, contributing over 60% of the market.
- Major producing states include Cross River, Akwa Ibom, Edo, and Delta.
- Nigeria exports Ogbono to Europe, the United States, and Canada.
Cameroon
- A significant producer, with wild and cultivated Irvingia trees.
- Exports mostly to neighboring African countries and some parts of Asia.
Ghana
- A key exporter, particularly to the UK, where there is a large Ghanaian diaspora.
- Ogbono is grown mainly in the forested regions of the country.
Ivory Coast
- Produces high-quality Ogbono for both local consumption and export.
- Plays a growing role in the West African Ogbono trade.
Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC)
- Has vast rainforest reserves with abundant wild Ogbono trees.
- Supplies regional markets in Central Africa.
Top Importing Countries of Ogbono
The demand for Ogbono is growing worldwide, especially in regions with a strong African diaspora.
United States
- A major importer due to its large West African immigrant population.
- Ogbono is sold in African grocery stores and online retail platforms.
United Kingdom
- High demand among Nigerian and Ghanaian communities.
- Sold in supermarkets, ethnic food stores, and online platforms.
Canada
- A growing market, particularly in cities like Toronto and Vancouver.
- Imported mainly from Nigeria and Ghana.
France
- One of the largest European importers, catering to West African expatriates.
Germany
- Increasing demand, especially in cities with large African communities.
International Price of Ogbono Per MT
The unit price ($ per MT) of Ogbono in the international market depends on a host of different factors including:
- The grade of the produce (usually the more the processing, the higher the price)
- The price of the raw material
- Age of the seeds (this can affect the price)
- Production levels in producing countries
- Economic conditions and the exchange rates between the currencies of the producing and importing countries.
- The quantity ordered (the greater the quantity, the cheaper you can get it per ton)
- Harvest season (it is more costly when it is out of harvest season).
- Weather conditions (some commodities are sensitive to weather conditions).
- Freight & haulage cost
- Percentage of markup
- Import duties, trade tariffs and trade agreements between countries
- Distance from the country of origin
- Technology/Infrastructure available in country of origin
- Relationship between the buyer and seller
That said, as at March 2025, Ogbono costs between $10000 and $30000 Per MT (i.e $10/kg and $30/kg) in the international market.
How To Safely Source for Your Ogbono Produce
If you find the right export company, buying directly from them can make the purchase process easy and stress-free, when compared with doing the sourcing on your own. That said, there are few things to note when dealing with an export company in Nigeria or Africa. The specific requirements for Nigeria are listed below, but they mostly apply to other African countries:
- The exporting company must be registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) to make sure the company is registered and permitted to carry out business
- The export company must also be registered with the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC).
- The company must possess a domiciliary account to accept international
The company should get all necessary export-related documentation done before the shipment leaves the port of origin. Some of the documents are:
- Certificate of origin
- Bill of lading
- Inspection Certificate (SGS, Cotecna, Bureau Veritas, Intertek, etc)
- Phytosanitary certificate
- Fumigation certificate
Where To Find Reliable Exporters
An important question that still needs to be answered is how to find Ogbono exporters in Nigeria. You can use any of the methods listed below:
- Attend trade fairs
- Use search engines like Google, Yahoo,
- Search for agents on Linkedln
- Sign up on trade platforms (e.g. Alibaba, Tradeford, Go4WorldBusiness)
- Neogric – Neogric is one of the reliable Ogbono exporters in Neogric is rated among the best in the exporting business in Nigeria. The company is not limited to the exportation of Ogbono alone but can export other agricultural produce ranging from perishables to dry seeds.
How To Pay For Your Ogbono Produce
You can pay for Ogbono using different methods, but three of the popular ways of paying for your agric produce are:
- Bank (T/T) Payment
- Advance Payment
- Letter of Credit (LC)
Bank Payment (T/T)
Bank payment is also known as T/T, “Telegraphic Transfer” or “Telex Transfer” In other words, it is an international wire of funds from the buyer’s bank to the seller’s bank.
A T/T is technically not the same as a wire transfer, which is often done through the SWIFT network. However, when a seller or supplier asks for a T/T payment, a wire transfer is what they are really asking for.
The wire transfer based on the SWIFT system is the most common payment method in international trade. Typically, it takes 1-5 working days to clear, and generally costs between 25 and 50 USD, depending on your agreement with the commercial department in your bank.
Advance Payment
There are sellers that will demand anywhere from 30% to 50% advance payment, and for good reason. If both parties have done deals in the past, sellers can ask for a percentage of the sales (about 30%) before they ship the produce and they can request for the remaining amount after a scanned copy of the Bill of Lading has been sent to the buyer.
It is the safest option for exporters and it also guarantees that they will have some funds to help with sourcing. It is popular among manufacturers on B2B marketplaces like Alibaba and also with commodity traders.
However, advance payment carries considerable risk for the importer (buyer) because the exporter (seller) might not be under as much pressure to ensure quality checks compared with a stricter form of payment. Some might even disappear entirely.
Having said that, advance payment is very useful and is widely used. For instance, the seller might need to secure the commodity in the face of increased competition. It can also be used when the exporter needs some money for sourcing the produce or for processing raw materials.
The most important thing is for both importer and exporter to build mutual trust by having a track record of successful deals with each other or other known companies.
Letter of Credit
Letter of Credit is an agreement generated by the bank of the buyer, guaranteeing payment once certain conditions are met. It is one of the safest types of payment available to both buyer and seller.
Some of the types of Letter of credit are:
- Commercial Letter of Credit,
- Sight Letter of Credit
- Transferrable or Non-Transferable Letter of Credit
- Standby Letter of Credit (SBLC)
- Usance or Deferred Payment Letter of Credit
- Revocable or Irrevocable Letter of Credit
- Confirmed or Unconfirmed Letter of Credit
- Revolving Letter of Credit
- Green Clause Letter of Credit
- Red Clause Letter of Credit
L/Cs are not totally safe (for either buyer or seller) too. For instance, sellers can ship substandard products or those that are different from the ones agreed upon. In this case, the seller gets paid and the buyer receives goods he cannot use.
And speaking of the dangers of L/Cs for the exporter, the conditions in the Letter of credit might be practically impossible to fulfil; if an exporter agrees to such, he might be unable to receive payment. A report stated that of the letters of credit received in the UK, 50% are unworkable while 70% are rejected by the banks for payment.
Shipping & Delivery Terms
When shipping your products, it is important to take note of a few factors:
Order Quantity
For smaller shipments, airfreight is often the preferred option but as the order volume increases, sea freight could become significantly cheaper. Usually when the order is close to a full container load (20 ft), sea freight is used. Although the Covid-19 pandemic caused an increase in cost of delivery of products, prices have stabilised.
Cost of Delivery
When the order is of a large volume, sea freight often turns out cheaper than air freight. In fact, air freight could be up to 6 times more costly than sea freight if the volume is large enough.
Time of Delivery
Sometimes, time will be more important to the buyer than the cost of delivering the product. In this case, air freight will be the logical option (as stated above, the cost will be more). But if you have more time as a buyer, you should strongly consider using sea freight.
Incoterms
Incoterms refer to generally accepted shipping and payments terms. For example, buyers that have representatives in the source country or that can negotiate with the freight company can use the Free of Board (FOB) terms, since it gives them more control and can save them some money.
However, if the shipment is small or the buyer doesn’t have an extensive network to effectively handle payment for freight, insurance and port charges, he will be better off choosing the Cost-Insurance-Freight (CIF) payment option.
Neogric: Top Exporters and Suppliers of Ogbono
We invite you to place your order for high-quality Ogbono with us at Neogric. We are a trusted global commodity sourcing and trade solution provider with deep expertise in the Ogbono industry. Whether you’re a small business or a large corporation, our wide range of products and technology powered, end-to-end supply chain make the export of quality Ogbono easy, quick and safe. Whichever region of the world you are, be it Europe, Asia, USA, Canada, Other North/Central American countries, Africa, South America or Oceania, you can reliably order your agricultural produce and we will ensure it is successfully delivered to you, on time.
Why Buy Ogbono From Neogric?
Choosing Neogric as your Ogbono supplier offers several advantages:
- Quality Assurance: We maintain strict quality control standards, ensuring our Ogbono and other products are of the highest quality.
- Wide Product Range: We offer a diverse selection of products, catering to various
- Reliable Supply Chain: Our efficient technology-powered end-to-end supply chain ensures timely delivery of your orders.
- Expertise and Support: Our team of experts provides valuable insights and support, making your purchasing process smooth and hassle-free.
Our Ogbono Trade Specifications
- Origin: Nigeria
- Product Name: Ogbono
- Physical Specification: Based On Buyer’s Specification
- Quantity: Based On Buyer’s Specification
- MOQ: 10 Metric Tonnes
- Trade Process: Ex Works/FOB/CIF
- Admixture/Impurities: Based On Buyer’s Specification
- Inspection: SGS/Cotecna/Intertek/Bureau Veritas
- Packaging: Based On Buyer’s Specification
- Payment Method: TT (Bank Transfer) or L/C
- Shipping Time: 15 to 25 Days After Confirmation of TT or L/C
- Loading Port: Lagos (Nigeria), Abidjan (Cote D’ivoire) or Tema (Ghana)
Expected Shipping Documents
- Bill of Lading
- Certificate of Origin
- SGS Inspection Certificate
- Phytosanitary Certificate
- Fumigation Certificate
- Commercial Invoice
- Packing List
Place Your Ogbono Order With Neogric
Contact us today to place your order for high-quality Ogbono. Our team is ready to assist you with all your procurement needs.
- Tel: +2348147860157
- Email: neo@neogric.com
- WhatsApp: Chat With Us