On Lagos’ ever-energetic streets, the air hums with December’s rhythm—a cadence of jingling bells, the frenzied chatter of shoppers, and the occasional gust of the dry harmattan breeze. The stalls at Lekki Market overflow with red and gold gift bags, the season’s colour palette glistening like promises.
But among the ubiquitous foreign chocolates wrapped in shiny foil and lofty names, a new contender finds its voice—crafted not from Swiss Alps nor Belgian legends, but from the sun-bathed, fertile soils of Ondo and Cross River.
“A magical season is what we’re wishing you. Beautiful moments with loved ones or simply with self. Peace and a sense of gratitude.” Loom Craft Chocolate’s words on Instagram float like a gentle invitation. The photo shows a curated box of their artisan delights—Ginger Gingerbread, Classic Milk, Dark Orange, a mosaic of local flavours ready to slip into Christmas stockings. The box is more than confectionery; it is a whisper of heritage wrapped in elegance.
Read also: Once upon a colourful Christmas
For years, Nigerian chocolate remained a silent guest at the festive table. Most buyers reached for familiar imports, doubting the potential of cocoa harvested just a few miles away. After all, Nigeria is the world’s sixth-largest cocoa producer, yet for decades, we exported beans, not stories. But now, something is changing.
A Shift in Taste and Identity
Loom Craft, Loshes Chocolate, and a host of other local chocolatiers have decided it is no longer enough to grow the world’s cocoa. They are here to transform it. This Christmas, they are not just selling chocolates; they are selling an idea—the magic of something ours.
“Your favorite chocolate collection is back this season,” declares Loshes Chocolate, their Instagram posts a symphony of rich browns and glossy packaging. Inside their Classic Collection lie bars infused with Nigerian coffee, sesame, and ginger. Each bite tells a story of farms that stretch into green horizons, of hands that know the weight of raw pods, of machines humming in workshops where cocoa alchemy happens.
The impact of this Christmas push is tangible. According to the Nigerian Cocoa Processors Association (NCPA), local consumption of Nigerian-made chocolate has risen by 20 per cent in the past year alone. During the festive season, this spike often doubles.
Brands like Loom Craft and Loshes report that nearly 40 per cent of their annual sales occur in the lead-up to Christmas, fueled by corporate gifting, family hampers, and a growing desire for gifts that are both luxurious and homegrown.
The Statistics of Sweet Growth
In 2024, Nigeria’s artisan chocolate market is valued at approximately ₦5 billion (about $6 million USD). While small compared to global markets, this industry’s growth rate of 15 per cent per year tells a story of potential. Christmas campaigns, particularly those leveraged on social media, are essential in driving this momentum.
For instance, Loom Craft Chocolate reported a 60 per cent increase in Christmas sales in 2023 compared to 2022, with their Ginger Gingerbread and Dark Orange varieties topping the list of festive favourites. Similarly, Loshes Chocolate noted that during the last two Christmas seasons, corporate orders for their collections grew by over 50 per cent.
This upward trajectory reflects a shift in consumer behaviour. A 2023 survey by African Food Trends found that 67 per cent of Nigerian urban shoppers prefer gifting locally-made items during the holidays, citing reasons of patriotism, freshness, and the uniqueness of flavours.
Read also: Nigeria’s Christmas events inspire local, global connections boosting sales
More than Chocolate: Crafting Culture
However, beyond numbers, this rise of Nigerian chocolate is also about identity. It is about reclaiming narratives and adding value to what has always been ours. When a shopper chooses a box of Loom Craft or Loshes, they are participating in a larger movement—one that says, we believe in our own craft, our own land, our own taste.
For a long time, the world defined Nigeria’s cocoa by its absence—the raw beans that left our shores and returned as glossy imports. But this Christmas, in markets and malls, on Instagram grids and kitchen tables, Nigerian chocolate brands are rewriting the narrative. The story they tell is one of transformation: of cocoa to chocolate, of scepticism to pride, of December to a season sprinkled with something distinctly ours.
As the year winds down, a child unwraps a bar of Ginger Gingerbread chocolate, her fingers sticky, her eyes wide with delight. In that moment, Nigeria’s journey from cocoa exporter to chocolate artisan finds its sweetest reward.
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