Vice President Kashim Shettima has reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to revitalizing its cocoa industry and broader agricultural value chain, with the ambition of becoming a major global cocoa processor rather than simply a raw material producer. During a meeting with World Cocoa Foundation (WCF) President Chris Vincent in Abuja, Shettima cited the recent approval for establishing a National Cocoa Management Board as evidence of the government’s dedication to the sector. The WCF aims to partner with Nigeria to revitalize its cocoa sector in line with European Union sustainability regulations.
Shettima emphasized Nigeria’s abundant manpower and the enthusiasm of its young population to engage in agriculture. “We don’t want to be producers of cocoa; we want to be processors of cocoa because a tonne of cocoa will fetch you $9,000 now, but processed cocoa will get you $30,000. If you turn them into chocolate bars, that might fetch you $50,000. So, we have the manpower, the average age of the nation is 17. We have very virile young men who are willing to work if they have the opportunity. So, I’m speaking from the heart,” he maintained.
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The Vice President pledged Nigeria’s readiness to collaborate with the World Cocoa Foundation. He committed to personally engaging Governor Agbu Kefas of Taraba State to secure 10,000 hectares of land in the Kurmi Local Government Area for the WCF and other partners to expand their investments in Nigeria’s cocoa industry. Underscoring the Nigerian leadership’s commitment to actively participating in the process, he emphasized, “I want to walk the talk. It is not even about the profit criteria; no. It’s about the social welfare criteria — employing people.
Look, let me take you to my farm and you’ll be convinced that the new Nigerian leadership is actively involved and is itching to drive the process.” WCF President Chris Vincent highlighted the severity of the current global cocoa shortage, noting that cocoa prices have quadrupled in the past three years. He emphasized that this partnership offers a significant opportunity for Nigeria to expand its sustainable cocoa production during this period of supply deficit.
“We are in the middle of a global cocoa supply shortage, and the prices have risen four times over the last three years. We are looking for new supplies of cocoa, sustainable cocoa in particular. The key thing here is that we have a clear alignment with industries which need to grow in supply sustainably, and I’m aware of the Nigerian State’s ambition to grow cocoa as a crop, and I know the opportunity is now. Because we are in a supply deficit, the next two to three years are an opportunity for growth,” Vincent explained.
Source: ChannelsTV
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