Farmers Seek Status Update on New Cocoa Board

News in brief:

-Cocoa farmers say the absence of updates on the Cocoa Board bill is creating uncertainty across the value chain.

-The associations urged the Presidency to clarify the bill’s status and fast-track its review and passage.

Cocoa farmers under the Cocoa Farmers Association of Nigeria (CFAN) and the Cocoa Farmers Alliance Association of Africa (COFAAA) recently urged President Bola Tinubu to clarify the status of the proposed Nigerian Cocoa Board Establishment Bill.

The call was made in an open letter signed by Adeola Adegoke, the National President of the CFAN, and made available to local news outlets.

Concerns Over Silence After Bill Withdrawal

According to the farming bodies, the bill was transmitted to the National Assembly in November 2025 and first read at plenary in the House of Representatives on November 13, 2025, by the Speaker, Abbas Tajudeen.

They said the Presidency reportedly requested the bill’s withdrawal the following day to allow for amendments, but no official update has been issued since then.

The farmers also recalled that a similar version of the bill was sent to the Senate on 10 November 2025 and later stepped down for further consideration, an announcement made by Senate President Godswill Akpabio at plenary on 18 November 2025.

Stakeholders Cite Uncertainty Across Cocoa Value Chain

While acknowledging the importance of consultations on critical legislation, the associations claimed that the prolonged silence has created uncertainty across the cocoa value chain.

“This prolonged silence has generated concern and uncertainty among stakeholders within the cocoa sector who have been encouraged by the Presidency to drive a sustainable cocoa economy for Nigeria,” it stated.

They added that since the bill was stood down, there has been no public clarification on whether it is being revised, withdrawn, or abandoned.

“As of today, cocoa sector stakeholders do not know whether the bill is undergoing revision, has been withdrawn, or has been abandoned altogether,” the farmers stated.

Confusion Over Claims of Board Reinstatement

The associations also raised concerns over public statements suggesting that the Nigerian Cocoa Board has already been reinstated.

They stressed that no law has been passed to establish the board and that it is not operational, noting that the conflicting information has confused farmers, processors, exporters, investors, and development partners.

The absence of a functional Cocoa Board has weakened coordination within the cocoa sector, reduced institutional support, and limited Nigeria’s competitiveness compared with other cocoa-producing countries.

The farmers explained that the proposed board is expected to regulate and develop the sector rather than engage in cocoa trading, with responsibilities to include quality control, sustainability compliance, farmer welfare, research, and investment promotion.

The associations called on President Tinubu to provide clear information on the status of the bill, support its timely review and passage by the National Assembly, and reaffirm the Federal Government’s commitment to strengthening Nigeria’s cocoa sector.