By Mike Abang, Calabar
The Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) has approved a seven-year strategic development plan for Cross River State and adopted coffee as the State’s flagship product under the One State, One Product (OSOP) initiative.
The plan, developed by the NEPC’s South-South Regional Coordinator, Benedict Itegbe, aims to reposition Cross River as a leading player in Nigeria’s non-oil export drive.
Itegbe, who was represented by Sussan Sewuese A., disclosed this during a one-day Stakeholders Investment Forum held at the Federal Secretariat Conference Hall, Calabar.
The event, themed “Coffee Value Chain Development: A Focus on Sustainable and Economic Diversification,” brought together stakeholders from both the public and private sectors to discuss opportunities in the coffee value chain.
“In pursuance of the Council’s mandate to diversify the economy through non-oil exports, the Coffee Investment Forum presents a unique opportunity for stakeholders to share knowledge, exchange ideas, and explore investment prospects in the State,” Itegbe said.
The forum was organized in collaboration with the Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC), Cross River State Office, to promote investment opportunities in coffee production, processing, and marketing. It also sought to foster partnerships among local farmers, investors, and other key stakeholders.
In his welcome address, the State Coordinator of NEPC, Dr. Osas’Damian Omorogbe, reaffirmed the Council’s commitment to promoting non-oil exports, noting that Cross River remains strategically positioned to take a leading role in this sector.
He emphasized that the forum provided an opportunity for stakeholders to deepen collaboration and ensure that the State maximizes its comparative advantage in coffee production.
Delivering the keynote address, the Executive Director/CEO of NEPC, represented by Regional Coordinator Benedict Itegbe, stressed the importance of value addition in the coffee industry. He called for efforts to boost local consumption and diversify into related ventures such as coffee tourism, coffee-based skincare products, and equipment manufacturing, leveraging innovation and technology to improve efficiency.
Goodwill messages were presented by representatives from the National Productivity Centre, Cross River Basin Development Authority, and the Calabar Chamber of Commerce, all of whom underscored the significance of the forum and urged participants to contribute actively to promoting coffee for export.
Declaring the event open, Governor Bassey Otu, represented by the Commissioner for Agriculture and Irrigation, Dr. Johnson Ebokpo, commended participants for their commitment and described the forum’s theme as timely.
He noted that it aligns with the renewed agricultural transformation agenda of the People’s First administration under his leadership, which seeks to build economic resilience through value chain-driven agricultural growth.
According to him, the State has embarked on a deliberate process to revive coffee as a strategic crop, alongside cocoa and oil palm, to expand its export portfolio.
“We are intentional about positioning coffee as the next frontier in agribusiness development and foreign exchange generation,” the Governor said.
He recalled the State’s recent partnership with JR Farms to establish large-scale coffee plantations, which the Governor personally flagged off last year.
In her remarks, the Commissioner for Commerce, Dr. Abigail Orok reaffirmed the government’s commitment to providing enabling policies, incentives, and a conducive environment to attract investors and strengthen the entire coffee value chain in Cross River State.
