CROSS RIVER, Nigeria – Cross River State has unveiled plans to produce 30 million coffee seedlings, establish 10,000 hectares of plantations and raise annual production to 15,000 metric tonnes as part of efforts to expand its agricultural economy.
Governor Bassey Otu announced the targets on Saturday at the opening of the second Coffee Festival International Nigeria in Calabar. Represented by the Commissioner for Agriculture and Irrigation Development, Johnson Ebokpo, the governor said the state’s favourable climate and four agroecological zones provided suitable conditions for growing Robusta and Arabica coffee.
He said the initiative was intended to position Cross River as a leading coffee production hub in West Africa and increase Nigeria’s presence in the global coffee market. Otu disclosed that more than 800,000 subsidised coffee seedlings had been distributed, while over 700 farmers and extension workers had received training.
He also announced plans to establish 6,000 hectares of coffee plantations across Odukpani, Akamkpa and Akpabuyo local government areas. The governor said the state would also train young people in barista services and other coffee-related businesses to create employment opportunities across the value chain.
The festival’s originator and Chief Executive Officer of Lingzhi Global, Blessing Tangtur, called for stronger partnerships between government and the private sector to attract investment and expand coffee production and consumption.
Tangtur said Nigeria’s coffee consumption had increased from about two million to 12 million, attributing the growth to increased awareness and promotional activities. She also said more than five million coffee seedlings had been distributed to farmers in Cross River.
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