Starting A Lucrative Charcoal Export Business In Nigeria

With a large charcoal market existing in Europe, America, and Asia, the global worth continues to retain its multi-billion Dollar value. This poses a huge opportunity for deep-pocket investors looking to make investments in the energy sector. For instance, 70% of the slightly over 60,000 metric tons of charcoal used yearly in the United Kingdom comes from Africa. 

The value of a ton of charcoal is between 200 Euros to 210 Euros. A charcoal supplier exporting between 1,000 to 10,000 metric tons yearly would be generating an annual revenue between the values of 200,000 Euros to 2,000,000 Euros. join the many Nigerians who are benefiting from the charcoal business.

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For a very long time, Nigerians focused solely on the exportation of crude oil, and many other natural resources that could be exported were ignored. But thankfully, things seem to have changed these days. Nigerians have now discovered other products that are in high demand in the international market and readily available in Nigeria. the export market in Nigeria is booming like never before.

On the list of highly profitable and easy-to-find exportable products is charcoal. You can earn huge profits with very little effort just from exporting charcoal to foreign countries, especially European countries. Many Nigerians have become millionaires overnight just by engaging in this highly profitable business.

This is the most popular business opportunity exploited in the charcoal industry in Nigeria and around the world. With tens of thousands of metric tons of charcoal exported yearly from Nigeria, the revenues generated make the sector lucrative. Here, the sales could be done by local traders in the market, or by large players exporting the charcoal products outside the country.

Charcoal Export & Distribution

There are markets for charcoal in other continents, the biggest market is in Europe. Therefore, when you want to start searching for buyers, you should look at countries like Germany, the United Kingdom, Italy, Spain, Belgium, and Poland to mention a few.

You don’t have to worry about competition in this business because the demand for charcoal exceeds supply by all means. Even though there are many other countries where charcoal is made (like Thailand, Malaysia, Brazil, and several other African countries), the Nigerian type is mostly preferred over others because it is believed to be of better quality.

Where Charcoal can be found

This product is virtually available all over Nigeria as many local communities have perfected the technology of charcoal production. Some known charcoal deports Made in Nigeria are found in places like Oyo, Isheyin, Saki Igbo-Ora, and Ogbomoso- all in the western part of the country. We also have depots in Jebba, Omu Aran, Egbe, and Kabba in the Central States. Charcoal is found in abundance also in Minna, Jos, and Kaduna. Besides, an individual can produce his own charcoal wherever he/she is located.

Uses & Demands

Today, there is increased usage of charcoal. Besides being the fuel that cooks steaks, hotdogs, and hamburgers, several companies have discovered that charcoal can be used in certain metallurgical purifying treatments and as a filter to remove organic compounds such as chlorine, gasoline, pesticides, and other toxic chemicals from water and air.


Getting clean, uncontaminated drinking water is a challenge in the world today due to pollution; our waterways, seas, and oceans have been polluted, making it difficult for us to get access to clean, natural water. It has therefore become necessary for us to find ways to purify our drinking water without destroying the nutrients and benefits that natural water is supposed to offer.

One of the ways this is achieved is by filtering the water with charcoal. If you have ever seen a black substance in a water filter, that’s charcoal. Interestingly, the concept of using charcoal to purify water is not a new one; it’s been around for ages and has been used for that purpose as far back as 2,000 years ago. But it is now being industrialized more than ever before.

Filtration is not the only use of charcoal; it is also used in the medical industry to relieve gastrointestinal problems such as indigestion, flatulence, food poisoning, and other health problems. It is also used for heating purposes. As you already know, it’s very cold in Europe and they rely on house heating systems to survive. Some of these systems are fueled by charcoal.

Charcoal Export Broker

Many people desire to invest in this business, and they have the funds but lack the required time and knowledge. As a smart businessperson, you can seize this opportunity to look for willing investors who would drop the funds to for running the business. You will then share the profit with them at the end of the day. You can even gather a group of investors in the event. For example, you can bring together a group of three to four investors under one umbrella to carry out the business and share profits together. You can start from there and before you realize it, you would have become an exporter yourself.

Full-time Exporter

You can go into the business as a full-time exporter. This means you would have to handle the processes of registering as an exporter, sourcing for products, shipping, sourcing for clients and all other activities involved in the charcoal exportation business. To be able to go into the industry on this level, however, you must have enough knowledge and experience of how the business is run.

That's it for now! good luck.