The Edo State Government is seeking European Union (EU) investment to expand cocoa production, with plans to allocate more than 20,000 hectares of land to cocoa farmers over the next three years.

The proposed expansion was discussed when the EU Head of Cooperation, Mr. Massimo De Luca, received a delegation from Edo State Government at the EU Delegation office in Abuja on October 21, 2026.

The delegation was led by the Special Adviser on Livestock Development, Hon. Roland Igbadumhe, accompanied by the Senior Special Assistant on Agriculture and Food Security, Hon. Emmanuel Sule, and the Director in the Ministry of Livestock Development, Dr. Lucky Adebudo.

The meeting, convened by Sule, formed part of the state government’s consultations with diplomatic missions to explore investment opportunities ahead of the Edo International Agricultural and Livestock Investment Summit scheduled for the first quarter of 2027.

Speaking with journalists after the meeting, Igbadumhe said the state’s agricultural development priorities aligned with areas of potential EU investment, particularly cocoa and dairy production.

He disclosed that Edo State had more than 10,000 hectares of land available for livestock production and was targeting the allocation of over 20,000 hectares to cocoa farmers within the next three years.

According to him, the proposed expansion would provide opportunities for investment in agricultural production, processing and other activities across the cocoa and livestock value chains.

Igbadumhe described the discussions as fruitful, saying the EU had pledged to collaborate with the state government in advancing its investment drive.

He added that a high-level meeting would be arranged between the EU Ambassador and Edo State Governor Monday Okpebholo to strengthen engagement and explore areas of cooperation.

The proposed Edo International Agricultural and Livestock Investment Summit is expected to bring together investors, development partners and other stakeholders to examine investment opportunities in the state’s agricultural and livestock sectors.