Pests, Diseases, and Parasitic Plants threatening Cocoa Production in Nigeria: Implications for Sustainability

Abstract

Nigeria is Africa's third-largest cocoa producer, yet productivity has declined sharply. Drawing on peer-reviewed literature (2000–2025), CRIN research, and field surveys, this article catalogues major biotic stressors affecting Theobroma cacao across Nigeria's cocoa belt — mirids, cocoa pod borer, mealybugs, black pod disease (Phytophthora spp.), cocoa swollen shoot virus, vascular streak dieback, and Tapinanthus parasites. Regional variations, agroecological drivers and climate interactions are discussed alongside evidence-based recommendations covering integrated pest management, molecular surveillance, climate-adaptive practices, host resistance, policy reform, and farmer empowerment.