Which of the following is a major export crop in Nigeria?

Step 1: Analyze the question The question asks which option is a major export crop in Nigeria. So we need something that is (a) a crop, and (b) grown in large enough quantities to be sold abroad in significant amounts.

Step 2: Explain the concept Nigeria's traditional agricultural exports (the "cash crops") include:

• Cocoa (mainly from the South-West: Ondo, Ogun, Oyo, Osun)
• Rubber (Edo, Delta)
• Palm produce (palm oil and palm kernel)
• Groundnuts and cotton (the North, historically)

Cocoa is one of Nigeria's best-known and most consistent non-oil export earners.

Step 3: Evaluate each option

• A. Cocoa: A major cash crop and a leading agricultural export. ✔
• B. Coffee: Grown in very small quantities in Nigeria, so it is not a major export.
• C. Copper: This is a metal, not a crop, so it is ruled out immediately.
• D. Kola nut: Mostly grown for domestic consumption and traded within West Africa. It is exported in some quantity, but it is not regarded as a major export crop.
• E. Soy beans: Produced mainly for local food and feed use, not a major export.

Step 4: Answer The correct option is A. cocoa.

Exam tip: For "major export crop in Nigeria" questions, remember the key cash crops with the phrase "Cocoa, Rubber, Palm, Groundnut, Cotton". If you see cocoa among the options, it is almost always the answer. Also watch for distractors like copper that are not crops at all.