Nigeria, three African nations deepen alliance to boost cocoa value addition

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By Progress Godfrey

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The Federal Government, cocoa-producing states and three other African countries have agreed to deepen cooperation to boost cocoa processing, improve farmers’ earnings and retain more value from the global chocolate industry within Africa.

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Speaking at the Cocoa Value Addition Summit in Abuja on Tuesday, the Minister of State for Industry, Trade and Investment, Senator John Owan Enoh, announced that Nigeria would implement a Cocoa Value Addition Accord involving the Federal Government, governors of cocoa-producing states, farmers’ associations, industry groups, research institutions and the Bank of Industry (BOI).

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He said: “We join our brothers and sisters of Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana in the Abuja Declaration, establishing the Cocoa Value Addition Alliance. From today, on the matters that decide the fate of our farmers, we will speak with one voice. One voice on the Deforestation Regulation and how its burdens are shared. One voice on the recognition of our national traceability systems, so that our farmers are not made to pay twice for the same proof.”

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Enoh added: “The Accord will support cocoa processing investments, establish a national traceability system, create dedicated financing windows for processors through the Bank of Industry, and ensure that more value is retained in Africa by processing and branding cocoa products locally instead of exporting raw beans.”

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Chief Executive of the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD), Dr Ransford Abbey, also backed the initiative, urging Nigeria and Cameroon to strengthen the regional alliance.

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He said: “Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire account for 60 per cent of global output. When Nigeria and Cameroon join the Initiative, we will together control a decisive 75 per cent of global output. Therefore, we are making the clarion call on the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Cameroon to join the Initiative.

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The time to unite and command greater value is now.”

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Abbey noted that “Africa produces about 75 per cent of the world’s cocoa but earns less than 10 per cent of the global chocolate industry’s value. Greater cooperation among producer countries will strengthen our bargaining power, expand value addition and improve returns for millions of cocoa farmers across the continent.”

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