Nigeria has been ranked the fourteenth country among the top 50 Most Agricultural Land in the world.

Agricultural land spans more than 18 million square miles worldwide, forming the foundation of global food production.

In a data analysed by Visual Capitalist using the most recent FAO data compiled by the World Bank, China has the most agricultural land in the world, with roughly 2.0 million square miles.

The United States (1.6 million), Australia (1.4 million), Brazil (914,000) and Russia (832,826) round out the top five countries worldwide.

Each of these countries specialises in different crops.

For example, the U.S. is the world’s largest producer of corn, while Brazil is the top grower of both soybeans and sugarcane.

Meanwhile, Australia has overcome its mostly arid geography to become a major wheat and cereals grower, rivaling major producers like India (689,000) and Ukraine (160,000).

In the data, Asia and Africa account for a large share of the top 50 countries by agricultural land area.

African countries make up nearly half of the top 50 countries worldwide by square mileage of agricultural land area. They’re led by larger countries like Sudan (435,000), South Africa (372,000), and Nigeria (268,000).

The ranking highlights where the world’s largest agricultural footprints are located, spanning major producers across Asia, Africa, and the Americas.

Each of these countries specializes in different crops.

For example, the U.S. is the world’s largest producer of corn, while Brazil is the top grower of both soybeans and sugarcane.

Meanwhile, Australia has overcome its mostly arid geography to become a major wheat and cereals grower, rivaling major producers like India (689,000) and Ukraine (160,000).

Africa’s Growing Desert ProblemAfrican countries make up nearly half of the top 50 countries worldwide by square mileage of agricultural land area.

They’re led by larger countries like Sudan (435,000), South Africa (372,000), and Nigeria (268,000).

As with peers in Eurasia and the Americas, African agriculture is increasingly facing challenges from climate change.In particular, the growing desertification problem is reducing countries’ agricultural land, especially in the Sahel region, as temperatures rise and soil becomes less fertile for growing crops.

Over-farming and over-grazing are exacerbating regional soil erosion and deepening desertification.

Oil prices rose on Monday morning as the Trump administration ramps up pressure on allies to help safeguard the Strait of Hormuz and investors react to threats facing Middle East export facilities.

According to CNBC, international benchmark Brent crude futures with May delivery traded 1.5% higher at $104.72 per barrel, paring earlier gains, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate futures with April delivery advanced 0.3% to $98.91.

U.S. crude had surpassed $100 earlier in the session.

Both contracts have surged more than 50% over the past month, reaching their highest levels since 2022, as shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has been severely disrupted.

Brent closed above $100 for the first time in four years last week.

The narrow waterway is a critical energy choke point that typically carries roughly 20% of the world’s oil.

Africa’s biggest telecoms operator MTN Group said on Monday it has rebounded to an annual profit and would pay shareholders a dividend that exceeded guidance and planned to buy back shares.

Reuters reports that the strong performance in the year ended December 31 followed a difficult 2024 for the group, when its largest business, MTN Nigeria ⁠was hit by sharp currency devaluations, surging inflation and high interest rates.

For the full year 2025, strong performances in MTN Nigeria and MTN Ghana , as well as 3.6 billion rand in cost savings, delivered a profit before tax of 47.4 billion rand ($2.81 billion).

That compared to a restated loss before tax of 4.1 billion rand in 2024.

At the market opening in Johannesburg, South Africa-headquartered MTN shares surged 7.4% before paring gains to trade 4.8% higher at 0943 GMT.

The operator declared a final dividend of 500 cents per share, ‌up ⁠45%, and 35% above the 370 cents minimum MTN had guided for the period.

Group CEO Ralph Mupita said in a media call that MTN would introduce an enhanced framework, targeting an annual distribution of 40% to 60% of equity-free cash flow in shareholder remuneration, effective now.

The framework includes ⁠a minimum cash dividend of 40% of equity‑free cash flow, with an additional 20% available for further cash payouts or share repurchases.

Mupita said the board had approved a buyback of up to ⁠6 billion rand, “to be executed opportunistically over three years from 2026”.

The group’s service revenue rose 22.7% to 218.5 billion rand, led by strong growth of 54.9% and 35.9% ⁠in Nigeria and Ghana, respectively, the mobile operator said.

(Reuters)