Stakeholders in Nigeria’s coffee industry have called on Nigerians, particularly youths, to explore opportunities in coffee farming and other segments of the coffee value chain, describing the sector as a viable source of employment and economic growth.
The call was made on Friday at the Lingzhi Coffee Hangout organised by Lingzhi Global at Secretariat Junction (Under Bridge), Jos, to promote awareness of opportunities in coffee production, processing, marketing and distribution.
Speaking at the event, the Chief Executive Officer of Lingzhi Global, Mrs Blessing Nanman, said the initiative was aimed at changing negative perceptions about coffee and encouraging more Nigerians to invest in the sector.
“There is security in coffee, there is job creation in coffee,” she said.
Nanman described Lingzhi Coffee as more than a beverage, saying it was developed as a healthy product while also creating demand for locally produced coffee.
She said the company’s vision was to create jobs and improve livelihoods by expanding opportunities across the coffee value chain.
“If you cannot farm coffee, you can roast coffee. If you cannot roast coffee, you can be a coffee barista. If you cannot be a coffee barista, be a marketer,” she said.
According to her, Lingzhi Global has served more than 20 million cups of coffee in less than one year, increased its workforce from about 50 to over 100 employees and built a nationwide network of distributors.
Nanman also assured coffee farmers of a ready market for their produce, saying the company had helped address the challenge of unsold harvests.
Also speaking, the General Manager of the Plateau State Road Maintenance Agency, Engr Luka Davou, described the coffee hangout as a bold initiative capable of transforming the coffee industry.
He urged farmers and youths to invest in coffee cultivation, describing it as a profitable long-term venture with the potential to create jobs and improve livelihoods.
A coffee farmer from Jos South, Mrs Margaret Ishaku Fei, said coffee production in Plateau State had witnessed renewed interest following the Coffee Festival International Nigeria organised by Lingzhi Global.
“Before, we had coffee but no buyers. Many people even cut down their coffee plantations. Today, buyers are looking for our coffee and farmers are making more money,” she said.
Fei appealed to government and private organisations to provide funding and other support to coffee farmers to boost production and sustain the industry’s growth.
