Nigeria’s commitment towards the rebirth of coffee through the Nigeria Coffee Revival Initiative (NCRI) will ensure the expansion of the Nigeria export portfolio, employment opportunities for youth and women, increase foreign exchange earnings, deepen rural prosperity and support farmers income through diversification and building of climate resilience strategies.

The Global President of Cocoa and Coffee Farmers Alliance Association of Africa (COCEFAAA), Comrade Adeola Adegoke, who disclosed this at the weekend, while announcing the planned Cocoa & Coffee Fiesta – Lagos, scheduled to hold on October 7 and 8, 2026, said the fiesta will herald Africa strength and commitment to the sustainability of the two dominant commodities across her origin countries.

He said: “Cocoa and Coffee Farmers Alliance Association of Africa (COCEFAAA) in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (FMAFS), Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria (CRIN), Cocoa and Coffee producing states and other private partners from the two critical sectors both within and globally will be jointly hosting the Cocoa & Coffee Fiesta on the October 7 and 8, 2026.

“Cocoa and Coffee sectors’ values have been forecast to grow from the present $169.12b and $284.8b to $245.97b and &486.2b respectively, in the year 2035. Africa holds the ace in cocoa with about 70 per cent, while in coffee it is just about 12.5 per cent as a continent.

“COCEFAAA will continue to appreciate the great resilience of these countries in cocoa – Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, Cameroon, Nigeria, and others, for their consistency in cocoa production and Ethiopia, Uganda, Kenya, Congo, Tanzania, Sierra Leone, for their coffee production contributions; Arabica, Robusta and specialty.”

Adegoke stressed that the fiesta will herald Africa strength and commitment to the sustainability of the two dominant commodities across her origin countries and showcase in particular, Nigeria’s commitment towards the rebirth of coffee through the NCRI: Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) interventions and deliberate boosting of cocoa productivity through integrated soil management approach in collaboration with donors partners.

He said this would ensure the expansion of the Nigeria export portfolio, employment opportunities for the youth and women, increase foreign exchange earnings, deepen rural prosperity and support farmers income through diversification and building of climate resilience strategies.

“The fiesta will further enable regional integration, synergy and coordination amongst the West, Central and East Africa countries to combat social – economic and environmental challenges. Africa one voice united alliance in cocoa and coffee will protect our farmers and value chains actors’ investment as a key sectors.

“Stakeholders, both within and beyond Africa countries are expected to attend the fiesta with other global partners in cocoa and coffee industries. Africa has continued to show resilience in the sustenance of the cocoa and coffee value chains despite the decade of price volatility in the sectors. The roller coaster experience has slowed down development and is the root cause of the Africa farmers’ unstable livelihood over the years.”

Adegoke added that the event would serve as the official launch of COCEFAAA, which marks the first pan membership organisation for the cocoa and coffee farmers of Africa, whom the two commodities origin are traced back to the continent.

“COCEFAAA will continue to amplify Africa farmers voices, strengthen cocoa and coffee production by engaging in sustainable practices, demanding for better income through fair pricing, collaborate on better access to market, eradicating child and forced labour in our supply chains, empower our youth and women as the future of the sectors and driving climate resilience through strategic collaboration with other stakeholders.

“Our organisation would continue to mobilise our continent farmers to ensure good pre and post practices that guarantee premium and deforestation free cocoa and coffee sectors,” he said.