The Cross River government will host the 2026 International Coffee Festival on October 30 and November 1.

The commissioner for agriculture and irrigation development, Johnson Ebokpo, disclosed this at a press briefing in Abuja on Monday ahead of the festival.

Lingzi Global Nigeria is organising the festival in collaboration with NACOFTAN and other stakeholders.

Mr Ebokpo said the state also planned to distribute 30 million coffee seedlings to farmers over the next five years to boost production and develop the state’s agricultural economy.

According to him, the initiative is part of the government’s strategic coffee development programme, which began in 2024.

He said the state had about 23,000 square kilometres of arable land suitable for coffee cultivation and the capacity to produce both Arabica and Robusta varieties.

He explained that arabica would be cultivated in the highlands, particularly around the Obudu ranch area, while robusta would be grown in the lowlands.

He also said the state was targeting coffee as an alternative economic driver, noting that the global coffee market offered significant opportunities for farmers, processors, investors, and young entrepreneurs.

”We want to build an alternative economy around coffee because it is easy to extract its value, and our youths can process it and push their products to the global market,” he said.

The commissioner noted that the coffee value chain extended beyond cultivation to processing, packaging, marketing and export, stressing the need to encourage local consumption.

He said the state government approved hosting the international festival as part of efforts to position the state as a globally recognised coffee-producing state.

He said the festival would create jobs and increase the participation of women and youths in the coffee value chain.

Mr Ebokpo said Cross River, already a major cocoa-producing state, was also positioning itself to become one of West Africa’s leading coffee-producing states.

The company’s CEO, Blessing Nanman, said the 2026 festival would focus on coffee sustainability, skills development, community development, job creation, investment, processing, export and local consumption.

Ms Nanman said the festival would provide a platform for farmers, processors, investors and international organisations to collaborate on developing Nigeria’s coffee industry.

She said the 2025 edition held in Plateau attracted participants from different countries and contributed to increased awareness and consumption of coffee in Nigeria.

According to her, Lingzi Global established additional coffee shops following the 2025 festival as part of efforts to promote a culture of local coffee consumption.

Ms Nanman said about 30 countries were expected to participate in the 2026 festival.

Similarly, the national president of the National Coffee and Tea Association of Nigeria, Hassan Kakara, commended the Cross River government for its investment in coffee production.

Mr Kakara said coffee and tea could contribute significantly to job creation, income, environmental sustainability, and economic development. He urged stakeholders, including government agencies, research institutions, and investors, to support the development of the coffee value chain.

”If we are able to plant 30 million seedlings, I think we can be the best in Africa and not only West Africa,” he said.

Mr Kakara added that NACOFTAN would continue to support the state’s coffee development efforts and encourage stakeholders to contribute to the initiative.

He said the festival would bring together international stakeholders from countries including Brazil, Indonesia and Kenya to share knowledge, technology and experiences across the coffee value chain.

(NAN)