Gambero Rosso in Nigeria: a new strategic market for Italian wine

Italian wine is broadening its horizons. On Wednesday 27 January, Gambero Rosso brought 50 Italian wineries to Lagos, the economic capital of Nigeria. It was the first time that the Top Italian Wines Roadshow had visited the country, but the warm welcome from trade professionals and enthusiasts alike made it clear that many more editions will follow.

“We are the country’s eighth-largest supplier; we operate in the fields of energy, technology, communications and, of course, agri-food,” Andrea Perugini, trade officer at the Italian Embassy in Abuja, who attended the event, tells us. “What matters is that every day we receive requests from Italian companies interested in exporting to Nigeria, while at the same time Nigerian operators approach us to establish contacts with Italy.”

The role of restaurants

It is striking that Italian wine still has a relatively small share, hovering between 5% and 10% of the market, behind France, South Africa, the United States and Spain. But if Nigeria may have been overlooked in the past, the trend of recent years is completely different. An emerging middle class has discovered wine, travels, and wants to drink well and drink Italian. And judging by the growing presence of trade professionals—clearly demonstrated by your event, which also involved the Consorzio del Chianti, present in the country last year — the growth is tangible.

“The Nigerian community in Italy is significant — 125,000 people, the third largest outside Africa, after the United States and the United Kingdom — and there is a constant flow of operators. This is a very clear sign of growth.”

Italian restaurants play, and will continue to play, an important role in the country. There are still relatively few Italian restaurants, but they are successful, with many new openings on the horizon. As many participants at the event told us, virtually all restaurants in the major cities feature Italian dishes on their menus, with pasta and pizza now firmly embedded in local dining habits.

“I grew up in Italy,” says Benedict Ozuku, chef and owner of Osteria De Nonni, one of the new Italian openings that is attracting attention. “My cuisine is inspired by Tuscany and Calabrian tradition. It’s a particular mix, but it’s proving successful. And Italian wine is growing here. We love Italy and its flavours.”

Osteria De Nonni, along with Farfallino by chef Filippo Inzirillo (who also runs Cactus), Forno Lagos and The Smiths by Keide and Taiwo Smith, has received recognition from our Top Italian Restaurants Guide. A promising start for the country’s most populous city, with 22 million inhabitants.

Market feedback

Nigeria is also the most populous country on the continent, with 230 million inhabitants, and a steadily growing economy that consistently ranks among the top four in Africa.

“Nigeria is a country with enormous entrepreneurial and commercial potential, and we are very close,” says Italian Ambassador Roberto Mengoni, who attended the event together with the Consul General in Lagos, Ugo Boni, and delivered a welcome speech. “It has an extremely interesting cultural scene, ranging from art to cinema and music, which we have supported and accompanied from independence to today. And 2026 has begun with prospects for further improvements in exchanges and relations.”

The flow of visitors through the halls of the Civic Centre was uninterrupted, from noon to 8 p.m. Among the highlights were the packed masterclasses. The first, dedicated to discovering the terroirs and wines of Chianti, was led by Marco Sabellico together with Folakemi Alli-Balogun, wine expert and founder of The Wine Club Lagos, which brings together hundreds of enthusiasts from the city and beyond.

“Chianti is a beautiful postcard of Tuscany and Italy’s wine culture. Its aromas and structure, in their different expressions, pair not only with Italian cuisine but also with Nigerian food, rich in spices and authentic ingredients from sea to hinterland. And it appeals enormously to the Nigerian palate.”

“We strongly believe in this market,” says Saverio Galli Torrini, director of the Consorzio del Chianti, partner of the event. “It’s a market we are targeting decisively, and one that is already giving us great satisfaction. But presence is essential to promote our wine. Days like this are extremely important and have significant commercial impact.”

The masterclass dedicated to the Roadshow wineries was also a success, with Italy’s great wines once again making their mark. “It’s a winning formula,” concludes Eugenia Corradi, export manager of the Marilisa Allegrini Group. “All the country’s major operators were there today, and we initiated important negotiations. We believe this market will bring us great satisfaction.”