The Cross River Government will host the 2026 International Coffee Festival from October 30 to November 1, with the theme “Coffee Sustainability”.
The state Commissioner for Agriculture and Irrigation Development, Johnson Ebokpo, disclosed this at a press briefing in Abuja on Monday ahead of the festival.
The festival is being organised by Lingzi Global Nigeria Ltd. in collaboration with the National Coffee and Tea Association of Nigeria (NACOFTAN) and other stakeholders.
Ebokpo said the state planned to distribute 30 million coffee seedlings to farmers over the next five years to boost production and strengthen its agricultural economy.
He explained that the initiative was part of the state’s strategic coffee development programme, which began in 2024.
According to him, Cross River has about 23,000 square kilometres of arable land suitable for coffee cultivation and the capacity to produce both Arabica and Robusta varieties.
He said Arabica would be cultivated in the highlands, particularly around the Obudu Ranch area, while Robusta would be grown in the lowlands.
The commissioner described coffee as an alternative economic driver, noting that the global 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.
Ebokpo 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 the festival to position Cross River as a globally recognised coffee-producing state.
The event is expected to create jobs and encourage greater participation of women and youths in the coffee value chain.
Ebokpo added that Cross River, already a major cocoa-producing state, was positioning itself to become one of the leading coffee-producing states in West Africa.
Also speaking, the Chief Executive Officer of Lingzi Global Nigeria Ltd., Blessing Nanman, said the festival would focus on sustainability, skills and community development, job creation, investment, processing, export and local consumption.
Nanman said the event 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 State, attracted participants from different countries and helped increase awareness and consumption of coffee in Nigeria.
According to her, Lingzi Global established additional coffee shops following the 2025 festival to promote local coffee consumption.
She added that about 30 countries were expected to participate in the 2026 edition.
The National President of NACOFTAN, Hassan Kakara, commended the Cross River Government for its investment in coffee production.
Kakara said coffee and tea could contribute significantly to employment generation, income, environmental sustainability and economic development.
He urged government agencies, research institutions, investors and other stakeholders 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.
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.
