Agriculture · Africa's #1 staple grain

Maize Price.

Maize is Africa's most important staple crop — South Africa is the continent's biggest producer and exporter, while Nigeria, Ethiopia and Tanzania grow it on tens of millions of smallholder plots. The global corn benchmark is only half the story; what a bag costs in Kano or Techiman is the half that matters locally.

Global benchmark
$195.78
-9.20%USD per metric tonFRED commodity benchmarks · 8 Aug 2026
African layer

Country-level prices

What the farmer is actually paid — farmgate, exchange and export prices the global benchmark never shows.

CountryTypePriceSourceAs of
Nigeriaexchange336.99 NGN / kgAFEX(daily)7 Aug 2026
Cameroonwholesale18,281.25 XAF / 100 kgFAO FPMA(monthly)30 May 2026
Nigeriaretail815.83 NGN / KgFAO FPMA(monthly)1 May 2026
Ghanawholesale338.79 GHS / 100 kgFAO FPMA(monthly)1 May 2026
History

Benchmark price history

1 Nov 20251 Jun 2026
Production

Africa's role

Africa's share
Africa's #1 staple grain
Top producers
South Africa · Nigeria · Ethiopia · Egypt · Tanzania
Seasonality
Southern Africa harvests roughly April–June; West Africa's main harvest runs September–November. White maize is the food staple; the global benchmark tracks yellow maize (corn), which prices feed demand.
Methodology

The global benchmark is sourced from public EIA/FRED series. African country-level prices are seasonal regulator announcements and exchange reports, each stored with its source, cadence and as-of date. Prices are for informational purposes only and are not real-time.

Frequently Asked

Maize FAQ

Which African countries produce the most maize?
South Africa is Africa's largest maize producer and its main exporter; Nigeria, Ethiopia, Egypt and Tanzania are also major growers. Maize is the continent's most important staple grain.
What is the difference between white and yellow maize?
White maize is the human food staple across much of Africa; yellow maize (corn) dominates global trade and animal feed. The international benchmark tracks yellow maize, so local white-maize prices can diverge from it.
Are these maize prices real-time?
No. The global benchmark updates monthly, the Nigerian exchange price daily, and market prices monthly. Every figure carries its source, cadence and as-of date.