The Cocoa and Coffee Farmers Alliance Association of Africa (COCEFAAA) has called on stakeholders across Nigeria and Africa to invest in the wealth within the cocoa value chain. According to the association, the future of cocoa lies not at the farm gate but in processing plants, factory floors, and finished products.
COCEFAAA Commends Sunbeth Global Concepts
The Global President of COCEFAAA, Comrade Adeola Adegoke, reacted to the announcement of two landmark processing facilities currently under construction by Sunbeth Global Concepts Limited. These include a 70,000-metric tonne cocoa processing factory and an 80,000-metric tonne cashew processing plant. Adegoke commended the private-sector leadership of the firm for this initiative.
He stated that the announcement, made by Managing Director Mr. Olasunkanmi Owoyemi at the Africa Cocoa Finance and Investment Forum (ACFIF) at the London Stock Exchange, represents one of the most significant investments in Nigeria's agro-industrial history.
A Signal to the World
“That such a declaration was made on the global stage of the London Stock Exchange is not incidental; it signals to the world that Nigeria and Africa are ready and capable of producing more processed cocoa at industrial scale,” Adegoke said.
He noted that Sunbeth's trajectory from a domestic trading enterprise less than a decade ago to one of Nigeria's foremost cocoa exporters operating in Nigeria, Ghana, and Cameroon, with international offices in London, Dubai, and New York, is a testament to what focused, strategic investment in agriculture can achieve.
From Exporter to Integrated Processor
Adegoke added that the company has now taken the decisive next step: from exporter to integrated processor. “This transition will enable Sunbeth to retain greater value within Nigeria and Africa, supply global chocolate manufacturers with semi-finished cocoa ingredients, and position Nigeria more competitively within the global cocoa economy.”
He emphasized that the dual investment is not merely about volume but reflects a conviction that world-class ambition demands world-class infrastructure. As Mr. Owoyemi rightly observed, a processing plant of this scale is only as viable as the supply chain that sustains it. Sunbeth's commitment to vertical integration from cocoa bean to finished product is the correct architecture for a sustainable agribusiness enterprise.
Call for Government Support
Adegoke called on government at all levels – federal, state, and local – to offer Sunbeth and similar enterprises the enabling environment they deserve, including reliable infrastructure, stable power supply, accessible financing, and consistent agricultural policy.
COCEFAAA also reaffirmed its recognition of Starlinks Global & Ideal Limited, Johnvents Groups, and Olam Groups for their giant strides in Nigeria's cocoa processing subsidiary and development. Johnvents Industries Limited, in particular, was highlighted as a trailblazer in Nigeria's cocoa value chain investment.
COCEFAAA's Commitment
“COCEFAAA stands, as always, as a voice for the farmers, the processors, the exporters, and the advocates who believe in the transformative power of Africa's agricultural resources. We are heartened by the direction that Nigeria's cocoa industry is taking. We are encouraged by the boldness of Sunbeth, Johnvents, Starlink Global, and Olam. And we remain committed to advocating in Nigeria, across Africa, and on every global platform for a future in which African cocoa is not merely grown in Africa, but processed, finished, and valued in Africa,” he concluded.
