The Cross River State Government has launched a long-term initiative aimed at transforming the state into Nigeria’s foremost coffee-producing region through the distribution of 30 million coffee seedlings and the introduction of policies designed to attract investment into the industry.

The Commissioner for Agriculture and Irrigation, Johnson Ebokpo, announced the programme on Tuesday in Calabar, describing it as a key component of the state government’s broader efforts to diversify the economy and reduce reliance on oil revenue.

According to Ebokpo, the government has already supplied 13 million coffee seedlings, with the majority allocated to smallholder farmers across the Northern and Southern Senatorial Districts, where environmental conditions are considered suitable for the coffee varieties being promoted.

He explained that the remaining seedlings would be distributed over the next seven years at a subsidised price of N300 per seedling to encourage greater participation among farmers.

As part of preparations for the expansion of coffee production, the commissioner said the state had secured more than 27,000 hectares of land spread across its three senatorial districts for cultivation. He also disclosed that government officials had undertaken study tours to Ghana, Ethiopia and Côte d’Ivoire to learn from established coffee-producing economies.

“We want to transition from dependence on oil to coffee and cocoa as major foreign exchange earners. Coffee is the second most traded commodity in the global market, and Cross River is determined to lead Nigeria in coffee production,” he said.

Ebokpo further revealed plans to establish a Coffee Commodity Exchange Board alongside a Produce Board to strengthen coffee marketing. He added that processing plants would also be developed to increase local value addition and create employment opportunities.

Speaking on the legislative aspect of the initiative, a member of the Cross River State House of Assembly Committee on Agriculture representing Ikom II State Constituency, Samuel Abang, said two executive bills focused on promoting coffee and other economic crops had successfully passed their first and second readings in the Assembly.

Abang expressed confidence that once enacted, the proposed legislation would provide the legal framework required to accelerate the development of the coffee sector.

Also addressing stakeholders, the National President of the National Coffee and Tea Association of Nigeria, Dr Hassan Usman, praised the Cross River State Government for placing priority on coffee production.

He noted that studies carried out in communities including Boki and Obudu had confirmed the state’s suitability for commercial coffee cultivation. According to him, the planned distribution of 30 million coffee seedlings is expected to benefit approximately 28,000 smallholder farmers, particularly women and youths.

Meanwhile, the Managing Director of Lingzhi Global Nigeria Ltd, Blessing Nanman, whose company is providing technical support for the programme, said Cross River’s favourable climate and fertile soil provide strong conditions for successful coffee farming.

Nanman also disclosed that preparations are in progress to host an international coffee festival in Cross River while establishing a Coffee Academy to promote research, skills development and investment across the coffee value chain.

Source: Daily Trust