The Cross River Government has set a target of producing 30 million coffee seedlings, establishing 10,000 hectares of plantations and achieving an annual output of 15,000 metric tonnes.
Governor Bassey Otu announced the targets on Saturday at the opening of the second Coffee Festival International Nigeria in Calabar, saying the initiative was aimed at positioning the state as West Africa’s leading coffee hub and expanding Nigeria’s share of the global coffee market.
Represented by the Commissioner for Agriculture and Irrigation Development, Johnson Ebokpo, the governor said the state’s diverse agroecological conditions offered significant opportunities for commercial coffee production.
He explained that Cross River’s four agroecological zones, favourable rainfall and extensive arable land could support large-scale cultivation. According to him, about 90 per cent of the state’s arable land is lowland, making it suitable for Robusta coffee, while its highlands provide favourable conditions for Arabica.
Otu said his administration had developed a 2025–2032 Coffee Development Roadmap and launched the Coffee Revolution Programme in July 2025.
As part of the programme, more than 800,000 subsidised Arabica and Robusta seedlings had been distributed, while over 700 farmers and extension workers had received training.
The governor also announced a partnership to establish 6,000 hectares of coffee plantations across Odukpani, Akamkpa and Akpabuyo Local Government Areas.
He said the government was introducing agricultural traceability systems, strengthening regulatory frameworks and had sent a delegation to Uganda to study its coffee industry.
The administration also plans to equip young people with skills in barista services and other downstream coffee operations as part of efforts to create jobs across the value chain.
The three-day festival, which began on Friday and ends on Sunday, is being held under the theme, ‘Sustainability: Building the Future of Coffee in Nigeria’.
The festival’s originator and Chief Executive Officer of Lingzhi Global, Blessing Tangtur, called for stronger collaboration between government and the private sector to accelerate the development of coffee production in Nigeria.
She said sustained partnerships were necessary to promote cultivation, consumption and investment across the coffee value chain.
Tangtur said Nigeria’s coffee consumption had increased from about two million to 12 million, attributing the growth to rising awareness and promotional activities.
She also disclosed that more than five million coffee seedlings had been distributed to farmers in Cross River, expressing optimism that the initiative would boost production, attract investment and create employment.
The President of the National Coffee and Tea Association of Nigeria (NACOFTAN), Hassan Kakara, called for better coordination within the industry.
He identified poor leadership, weak cooperative structures and limited market opportunities as factors contributing to declining coffee production.
