Made in Nigeria, exported to the world: Affiong Williams’ ReelFruit revolution

There was a time when the only way to enjoy the sweet succulence of mango was in its brief season—golden, juicy, here today, gone tomorrow. Bananas blackened too soon. Pineapples rotted before they could be sold. In the sweltering heat of Nigeria, fresh fruit came and went like whispers in the wind. And with them, livelihoods disappeared too.

But Affiong Williams saw what many others did not: the future of Nigerian fruit was not in its fleeting freshness but in its resilience. She understood that the answer to Nigeria’s wasted harvests and lost income lay in a practice as old as time—preservation.

And so, she built ReelFruit, a company that would take the mango, the pineapple, the coconut, and turn them into something more than seasonal indulgence. She turned them into a promise—one that could travel beyond Nigeria’s borders.

Read also: Africa’s top 5 dried fruits market, driving growth and global Exports

$10 Billion Opportunity Hiding in Plain Sight

Nigeria’s fresh fruit market is worth an estimated $10 billion, yet a significant portion of the fruits on Nigerian shelves are imported. Imagine that—a country blessed with fertile land and abundant sun, importing the very things it should be exporting. The cycle of waste and dependency seemed unbreakable.

Williams didn’t just challenge this norm; she shattered it. In 2012, after returning from South Africa, where she had spent years immersed in the world of entrepreneurship, she bet on dried fruit—a category virtually unknown in Nigeria. It was not an easy sell. “Why would I eat dried mango when I can have it fresh?” people asked. But she knew that the question itself was the opportunity.

She started small, importing dried fruit from Ghana, packaging it under her brand, and convincing retailers to give it a shot. Over time, Nigerians—once sceptical—began reaching for those brightly coloured packets, and ReelFruit found its footing.

From Small Batches to Industrial Scale

ReelFruit was never meant to be just a boutique business. Williams had her sights set on the kind of scale that transforms industries. In 2023, ReelFruit launched an 800-tonne-per-year processing facility in Abeokuta, Ogun State—one of the largest of its kind in Nigeria.

What once required small dehydrators in a modest kitchen was now an industrial process capable of feeding not just Nigeria, but the world.

“This factory isn’t just a structure of bricks and mortar,” Williams said at its opening. “It embodies my unwavering belief in Nigeria’s agricultural and manufacturing opportunity.”

And she was right. The facility doesn’t just dry fruit; it creates jobs, supports farmers, and sends a powerful message: Nigerian businesses are not just solving local problems—they are export-ready.

Cracking the U.S. Market

If ReelFruit’s journey had stopped at Nigerian supermarkets, it would have been a success story. But Williams was thinking bigger. The United States is the largest consumer market in the world, valued at $16 trillion. Nigeria, despite its 220 million people, is projected to reach just $3 trillion by 2030. The disparity is staggering—and full of opportunity.

Williams saw an entry point in the Nigerian diaspora, a community of millions longing for familiar tastes from home. But she knew nostalgia alone would not sustain ReelFruit in the U.S. market. Her products had to compete on quality, flavour, and branding—just like any other snack on an American shelf. And so, she invested in packaging, compliance, and marketing, ensuring that a ReelFruit packet could sit comfortably alongside global brands.

Read also: Customs Intercept over $1.1m inside date fruit pack at Kano Airport

The Future of Nigerian Exports

The world is waking up to Africa’s potential, but African entrepreneurs are not waiting for permission. They are building, scaling, and exporting on their terms. ReelFruit is more than dried fruit—it is proof that Nigerian businesses can take on global markets and win.

Williams has done more than build a brand; she has redefined what is possible for agribusiness in Nigeria. And in doing so, she has set a new standard: that “Made in Nigeria” is not just a label. It is a statement of quality, of ambition, and of a future where Nigerian products don’t just survive—they thrive, anywhere in the world.