How 1,000 hectares of coffee plantation will benefit farmers in Ondo

Last week, the Ondo State Government, in partnership with other stakeholders, flagged off the establishment of 1,000 hectares of coffee plantation. The launch signalled the country’s renewed entry into commercial coffee production after years of neglect and inadequate government support, despite the industry’s huge potential across Nigeria’s various agroecological zones. Comrade Adeola Adegoke, Global President […]

Last week, the Ondo State Government, in partnership with other stakeholders, flagged off the establishment of 1,000 hectares of coffee plantation.

The launch signalled the country’s renewed entry into commercial coffee production after years of neglect and inadequate government support, despite the industry’s huge potential across Nigeria’s various agroecological zones.

Comrade Adeola Adegoke, Global President of the Cocoa and Coffee Farmers Alliance Association of Africa (COCEFAAA), told Daily Trust that “presently, Nigeria produces only 1,844 metric tonnes of unroasted coffee, with an average yield of just 500kg per hectare.”

He said Nigerian coffee production has declined at an average rate of 0.4 per cent annually since 1995, adding that “Nigeria recorded zero export value of coffee in the first nine months of 2024. Currently, Nigeria is the world’s 147th largest coffee exporter, with only 59,900 dollars in total shipments.”

The Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari, admitted that “while Nigeria has long been celebrated for its diverse ecological zones capable of producing world-class coffee, we recognise that the potential of this ‘brown gold’ remains largely untapped.”

Kyari said Nigeria is on the verge of a new chapter in its coffee industry, with the potential to generate employment, earn foreign exchange and promote economic diversification, stretching from the Mambilla Plateau to the fertile farmlands of the South-West.

How Ondo farmers will benefit

Speaking on the launch of the 1,000-hectare coffee project in Ondo State, Adegoke described the investment as “a structural intervention.”

He noted that with current global Robusta prices averaging about 3,600 dollars per metric tonne and Arabica prices around 6,300 dollars per metric tonne, alongside a targeted yield increase to 1.5 tonnes per hectare, the project could generate more than 2.9 million dollars in annual gross revenue for the state once fully developed.

“That is over N4 billion injected into Ondo State’s rural economy per crop cycle,” he said.

Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa of Ondo State explained that the 1,000-hectare project would directly engage over 2,000 farmers and create additional jobs across the coffee value chain, from nurseries to processing and export.

Value addition and market opportunities

The governor said the initiative goes beyond raw coffee exports, adding that the state would build capacity for roasting, branding and packaging to position “Made-in-Ondo” coffee in premium global markets.

According to him, a well-managed hectare can yield between 1.5 and 2 tonnes, with strong local and international demand already existing for the commodity.

To ensure sustainable production, Aiyedatiwa said the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry would deploy extension officers to provide technical support from the nursery stage to harvest.

Opportunity for the country

Adegoke urged the Federal Government to finalise and implement a National Coffee Strategy that would classify coffee squarely under agricultural policy and provide smallholder farmers with access to subsidised inputs, extension services and export incentives.

He said the South-West and North-Central states have historically been natural coffee-producing zones, stressing that with the right investment, Nigeria can grow both Arabica and Robusta in commercial quantities.

Globally, about two billion cups of coffee are consumed daily, making it one of the world’s most actively traded agricultural commodities.

Adegoke said: “The numbers tell a compelling story. The global coffee market was valued at 284.8 billion dollars in 2025 and is projected to reach 486.2 billion dollars by 2035.

“At least 25 million farming families worldwide depend on coffee for their income, representing more than 100 million people.”