Cross River State is targeting the distribution of at least 30 million coffee seedlings over five years as it seeks to expand coffee production and create new opportunities for farmers, investors, women and young people.
The state’s Commissioner for Agriculture and Irrigation Development, Hon. Johnson Ebokpo, disclosed this in Abuja at a stakeholders’ meeting on the forthcoming 2026 Coffee Festival International Nigeria.
The three-day festival, organised by Lingzhi Global Nigeria Ltd. in collaboration with the National Coffee and Tea Association of Nigeria (NACOFTAN), is scheduled to hold in Calabar from October 30 to November 1, 2026.
Ebokpo said Cross River had significant potential for coffee production, noting that the state had about 23,000 square kilometres of arable land and the agro-ecological advantage of producing both Arabica and Robusta varieties.
He said the state government planned to distribute at least 30 million coffee seedlings over five years as part of efforts to expand cultivation and strengthen the coffee value chain.
According to him, the coffee industry offers opportunities beyond farming, with young people able to establish businesses in processing, packaging, marketing and export.
“This is also an opportunity for us to use the festival as a platform to create jobs for our people, particularly women and youths, while providing them with opportunities to learn more and develop their skills,” he said.
The commissioner commended Lingzhi Global for promoting coffee and tea development in Cross River and supporting efforts to improve farmers’ access to seedlings, knowledge and markets.
He said hosting the international festival in Calabar would give the state greater visibility as a coffee-producing destination while connecting local stakeholders with investors and international players in the industry.
The Chief Executive Officer of Lingzhi Global Nigeria Ltd., Mrs. Blessing Nanman, said the company was inviting investors, development partners and international organisations to support the growth of Nigeria’s coffee industry.
“Farmers have gone to work. Some processors are already at the verge of breaking through. This is the time where we want to invite all investors, partners and international organisations to support us in the coffee industry,” Nanman said.
She said the 2026 festival was expected to attract representatives from about 30 countries and would provide opportunities for stakeholders to explore different aspects of the coffee value chain, including farming, processing, packaging, marketing and export.
Nanman said the maiden edition attracted participants from several countries, adding that the forthcoming event would further expose opportunities in the sector and encourage greater local consumption of coffee.
She said the company was also expanding its coffee business through the establishment of coffee shops, which she described as platforms for communities and people from different backgrounds to connect.
Nanman explained that Cross River was selected to host the second edition because of its potential for coffee production and the state government’s efforts to expand cultivation.
The festival is being held under the theme, “Coffee Sustainability and Empowerment: Focusing on Women and Youth Development,” with emphasis on skills development, community development and job creation.
Also speaking, the President of NACOFTAN, Dr. Hassan Usman, said the festival would provide Nigerian stakeholders with opportunities to exchange knowledge and technology with international players in the coffee industry.
“The Coffee Festival is not only Nigerian in inclusion, but international. We have people coming from Brazil, Indonesia, Kenya and all the countries. The globe will be around with us,” Usman said.
He commended Lingzhi Global for connecting Nigerian coffee stakeholders with international opportunities and taking industry players across the country and beyond to acquire knowledge in coffee processing and marketing.
Usman said stakeholders would use the festival to strategise on strengthening Nigeria’s coffee value chain and changing the narrative around coffee production in the country.
He called for increased participation by government agencies, investors and other stakeholders to unlock the potential of the sector.
The festival is expected to bring together farmers, processors, roasters, investors, experts and other stakeholders from Nigeria and abroad for three days of knowledge-sharing, networking and promotion of the coffee industry.
