Taraba State University Hosts National Roundtable to Revitalize Nigeria’s Coffee and Tea Industry

Roundtable discussion on the coffee and tea value chain in Nigeria has commenced at Taraba State University (TSU), Jalingo. The forum is organised by the National Coffee and Tea Association of Nigeria (NACOFTAN) in collaboration with Taraba State University and the Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC).

Themed “Towards Revitalising Nigeria’s Coffee and Tea Value Chains for Growth, Profitability and Sustainability,” the forum brought together key stakeholders from government, academia, industry, traditional institutions, farmers, researchers, and development partners to chart a roadmap for the growth and sustainability of the sector.

The Vice-Chancellor of Taraba State University, Prof. Sunday Paul Bako, was ably represented by the DVD (Administration), Prof. Reuben Jonathan, alongside the Registrar, Dr. Joseph U. Bibinu. Invited guests at the event included the Executive Governor of Taraba State, Dr. Agbu Kefas, represented by the Special Adviser on Agriculture and Food Security, Hon. Zamani Hassan Maikasuwa; the Honourable Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari, represented by Mr. Adamo Lekun Ebenezer, Desk Officer for Coffee and Tea at the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security. Also in attendance were royal fathers from various traditional kingdoms within and outside Taraba State, as well as other dignitaries.

Delivering the opening remarks, the National President of NACOFTAN, Dr. Hassan Usman Kakakara, warmly welcomed participants and described coffee and tea as mainstream commodities critical to national economic development. He noted that the industry holds immense potential for employment generation and economic diversification.

Dr. KAKARA commended the Vice-Chancellor of TSU, Prof. Sunday Paul Bako, for being one of key stakeholder in the coffee and tea sector and appreciated the collaboration between the university, government ministries, industry players, consultants, and researchers. He urged stakeholders to actively engage in the discussions, stressing that progress in any sector requires teamwork and collaboration. According to him, the roundtable is aimed at developing practical roadmaps to address the challenges, prospects, and untapped opportunities in Nigeria’s coffee and tea industry, including the need for intercropping strategies to reduce the capital burden on farmers.

Speaking on behalf of the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Reuben Jonathan welcomed participants to the two-day conference and described coffee and tea as a critical but neglected area of agriculture that requires urgent revitalisation. He emphasised the sector’s potential for job creation and economic expansion and called on stakeholders to work collectively towards producing actionable roadmaps that would significantly boost production and value addition.

Also speaking at the event, the Director, CRI-TSU Institute of Tree Crop Research, Dr. Patrick K. Kefas, on behalf of the Local Organising Committee, welcomed participants and reaffirmed the commitment of TSU to advancing coffee and tea research and development. He described coffee and tea as strategic agricultural commodities capable of generating employment, foreign exchange earnings, and sustainable livelihoods for thousands of Nigerians.

Dr. Kefas explained that the roundtable provides a practical platform for government, the private sector, farmers, researchers, financial institutions, and development partners to jointly examine challenges confronting the industry and propose implementable solutions. He stressed that the coffee and tea sector is not only an agricultural concern but an economic and social imperative, directly linked to job creation, poverty reduction, rural development, and Nigeria’s broader goal of diversifying its economy away from overdependence on oil.

He concluded by calling for a collective commitment to action, urging stakeholders to move from intention to implementation, from isolated efforts to collaboration, and from discussion to decision, noting that revitalising Nigeria’s coffee and tea industry is both achievable and necessary.

The roundtable is expected to produce actionable recommendations and policy directions that will strengthen Nigeria’s coffee and tea value chains and enhance their contribution to national economic growth