By Oluremi Modupe and Awwal Abdulrosheed
The Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC), Ondo State Coordinating Office, has underscored the critical importance of coffee production and value addition as a strategic pathway to sustainable national economic transformation.
This position was presented during a two-day Stakeholders’ Summit and the official flag-off of a 1,000-hectare coffee plantation held from 6–7 May 2026 at the FADAMA Conference Hall, Akure, Ondo State. The summit was themed “Reviving Coffee Production and Its Value Chain in Ondo State.”
The event attracted a wide range of stakeholders across the agricultural value chain, including farmers, processors, investors, exporters, policymakers, and development partners. Dignitaries at the summit included the Governor of Ondo State, represented by the Honourable Commissioner for Agriculture and Forestry, Engr. Olaleye Akinola; Permanent Secretary, Forestry Sub-Sector, Mr. Adefolurin Adeyemi; Permanent Secretary, Agriculture Sub-Sector, Mrs. Foluke Daramola; Managing Director of Lingzhi Global Nigeria Limited, Mrs. Blessing Nanman Tangtur; National President of Agbeloba Food Sustainability Initiatives (AFSI), Mr. Adelokiki Orimisan Patrick, National President of National Coffee and Tea Association of Nigeria, Dr. Usman Kakara, Permanent Secretary, FADAMA, Mr. Olatunji O.; Comrade Adeola Adegoke, among others..
In his welcome address, the National President of Agbeloba Food Sustainability Initiatives, Mr. Adelokiki Orimisan Patrick, applauded stakeholders for their commitment to advancing Nigeria’s agricultural sector under the Renewed Hope Agenda. He described agriculture as the bedrock of Nigeria’s economy and highlighted the enormous opportunities in the global coffee market, which is projected to reach between $400 billion and $500 billion by 2034/2035.
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He urged Nigeria to strategically position itself to capture a significant share of the global market through large-scale production, mechanised farming, and value addition. According to him, Ondo State possesses immense potential for coffee cultivation, disclosing that AFSI has already secured over 30,000 hectares of land through partnerships with traditional institutions and strategic collaborators. He also announced the establishment of Coffee Elites Clubs in Nigerian universities to encourage youth participation in coffee agribusiness and investment.
Delivering a goodwill message on behalf of the Council, Mrs. Tejumola F.A., State Coordinator of the Raw Materials Research and Development Council, Ondo State Coordinating Office, stated that coffee remains one of the world’s most valuable agricultural commodities with enormous potential to contribute significantly to Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), foreign exchange earnings, rural development, and industrial growth when adequately harnessed through value addition and modern processing techniques.
She reaffirmed the Council’s commitment to its statutory mandate to promote research-driven interventions, capacity building, and investment facilitation to encourage the local cultivation, processing, packaging, and branding of agricultural commodities. According to her, the Council remains dedicated to ensuring that raw materials such as coffee are transformed locally into finished and semi-finished products of higher economic value rather than being exported in their raw form.
Tejumola further commended stakeholders across the coffee value chain — including farmers, processors, investors, and policymakers — for their steadfast commitment to advancing value addition as a catalyst for economic transformation. She noted that such collaborative efforts are vital for building competitive domestic industries, reducing post-harvest losses, and strengthening Nigeria’s position in the global agro-industrial market.
Speaking on behalf of the Governor of Ondo State, the Honourable Commissioner for Agriculture and Forestry, Engr. Olaleye Akinola, reaffirmed the state government’s determination to revitalise coffee production and position Ondo State as Nigeria’s leading coffee-producing hub. He highlighted plans for strategic investments, stakeholder partnerships, farmer support initiatives, and the establishment of large-scale plantations to boost productivity, create employment opportunities, and attract both local and foreign investors.
The Managing Director of Lingzhi Global Nigeria Limited, Mrs. Blessing Nanman Tangtur, stressed the importance of collective action in developing a sustainable coffee industry in Nigeria. She emphasised the need for structured partnerships and guaranteed off-take arrangements to strengthen the coffee value chain while promoting economic growth, environmental sustainability, and job creation. She also reiterated the company’s commitment to compliance with the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) to secure Nigeria’s competitiveness in the international coffee market.
Also speaking at the summit, the Ondo State Coordinator of the Nigerian Export Promotion Council, Mrs. Florence Ofonedu-Okafor, called for stronger collaboration among government institutions, exporters, investors, farmers, and processors to drive the growth of Nigeria’s coffee industry. She identified the RT200 FX Programme as a strategic government initiative designed to incentivise non-oil exports such as coffee and boost foreign exchange earnings. She further emphasised the importance of local processing, packaging, and branding as essential components for increasing employment, promoting agro-industrial development, and enhancing the global competitiveness of Nigerian coffee.
The summit ended optimistically, with the Ondo State coffee initiative serving as a replicable model for other agricultural commodities and states across the federation.
