FG to Establish National Cocoa Management Board – Agriculture Minister
By: Safiya Abdulrahim Dabban
The Federal Government is taking decisive steps to revitalize Nigeria’s cocoa industry by proposing the creation of a National Cocoa Management Board. This initiative is aimed at enhancing cocoa production, processing, and marketing, while also boosting non-oil revenue for the country.
Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari, announced the plan during a media briefing following the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting. He emphasized the importance of cocoa to the national economy, noting that although cocoa remains Nigeria’s top non-oil revenue earner, the country still trails behind neighboring producers like Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire.
“In terms of cocoa, we are not where we should be,” Kyari said. “Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire have already established strong management structures for their cocoa industries, and it’s time Nigeria followed suit.”
As part of the preparatory process, Nigerian officials engaged with their counterparts in Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire to study their models. These consultations focused on regional cooperation and aligning strategies to strengthen the West African cocoa sector.
“The outcome of those engagements was a consensus to replicate the successful frameworks in Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire,” the Minister explained.
Before reaching this stage, the Ministry of Agriculture established a Cocoa Management Committee to explore the feasibility of the proposed board. After conducting extensive research and evaluations, the committee submitted its recommendations to the FEC.
Senator Kyari said the next step is for the Attorney General to draft the bill, which will then be sent to the National Assembly for deliberation and passage.
He added that the new board will include a wide range of stakeholders to ensure inclusive and effective management of the cocoa value chain.