NIgeria to host continental Cocoa, Coffee Fiesta in Lagos by October

News in Brief;

- Nigeria will host the Cocoa and Coffee Fiesta Lagos 2026 in October, bringing together key stakeholders to discuss value addition, farmer incomes and regional cooperation.

-The event will also launch COCEFAAA and focus the conversation on sustainability and Africa’s role in the global cocoa and coffee economy.

Nigeria is set to host global leaders of the cocoa and coffee sector at the Cocoa and Coffee Fiesta Lagos 2026, a major continental gathering of stakeholders and leaders in the cocoa and coffee industry. 

The event, which will be held on October 7 and 8, will intensify efforts in strengthening value chains, improving farmers’ incomes and positioning Africa to benefit more from two of its most important agricultural commodities.

Toward Sustainable Cocoa and Coffee Value Chain

According to the Cocoa and Coffee Farmers Alliance Association of Africa (COCEFAAA), the event is being organised in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, the Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria (CRIN), cocoa- and coffee-producing states and private-sector partners.

With the theme, “Building a Sustainable Value Chain for Cocoa and Coffee Across West, Central and East Africa,” the fiesta is expected to draw farmers, policymakers, researchers, exporters, investors and development partners from across Africa and beyond.

Organisers said the gathering comes at a critical time for the two sectors, which continue to face pressure from price volatility, climate change, low local processing and limited farmer earnings despite growing global demand.

Focus on Africa’s Cocoa and Coffee Potential

The event is also expected to spotlight Africa’s position in the global cocoa and coffee economy. Industry projections cited by the organisers suggest that the cocoa market could rise from $169.12 billion to $245.97 billion by 2035, while the coffee market is expected to expand from $284.8 billion to $486.2 billion over the same period.

Despite that growth, Africa remains a small beneficiary of the wealth generated along the value chain. The continent produces about 70 per cent of global cocoa but only around 12.5 per cent of global coffee, underscoring the imbalance between production strength and market value capture.

COCEFAAA said the Lagos fiesta will provide a platform to discuss how African countries can move from dependence on raw commodity exports to stronger processing, branding and trade cooperation that keeps more earnings on the continent.

The group said the event will also highlight Nigeria’s efforts to revive its coffee industry through the Nigeria Coffee Revival Initiative, while boosting cocoa productivity through integrated soil management and public-private partnerships.

According to the alliance, these interventions are expected to widen Nigeria’s export portfolio, create jobs for young people and women, increase foreign exchange earnings, deepen rural prosperity and improve farmers’ resilience to climate change.

Continent-Wide Conversation and Collaboration

Beyond Nigeria, the organisers said the fiesta would encourage collaboration among cocoa and coffee-producing countries in West, Central and East Africa to address shared economic and environmental challenges.

They said a coordinated continental response would help farmers and other value chain actors better withstand market shocks, regulatory changes and external pressures affecting the two commodities.

A major highlight of the event will be the official launch of COCEFAAA, described as Africa’s first pan-continental membership organisation dedicated to cocoa and coffee farmers.

The association said the body would amplify farmers’ voices, advocate fair pricing, improve market access, promote sustainable production practices and help combat child and forced labour in supply chains.

It also said the platform would support greater participation of youths and women in the sector, while encouraging farmers to adopt good agricultural practices that can guarantee premium-quality, deforestation-free cocoa and coffee production.

Discussions at the fiesta are expected to focus on price volatility, compliance with the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), agroforestry expansion, integrated soil management, carbon credit opportunities, farmer income frameworks and ways to reduce Africa’s dependence on raw commodity exports.

Stakeholders said the gathering presents an opportunity for the continent to develop a shared strategy for two commodities that remain central to rural livelihoods, export earnings and agricultural transformation.