Stakeholders seek national coffee policy as Nigeria battles production gaps

Coffee industry operators have called for a national policy and more investment in farming and processing, warning that Nigeria is not producing enough coffee beans of the quality and quantity local businesses need.

They said gaps in cultivation, infrastructure, financing and technical knowledge had continued to limit the country’s participation in the global coffee market despite its agricultural potential.

The stakeholders spoke during a four-day coffee activation held at Purple Mall, Freedom Way, Lekki, Lagos, from 28 September to 1 October, in commemoration of International Coffee Day.

The event, organised by Nigerian coffee brand Everything But Coffee (EBC), featured discussions on the industry’s challenges, alongside tastings, brewing demonstrations, and training sessions.

Production shortfall

EBC Managing Director Nnenna Samuila said the company currently sources coffee from Ethiopia, Cameroon, Uganda, Brazil, Colombia and Guatemala because Nigeria cannot yet provide sufficient beans that meet its requirements.

“What’s stopping us from sourcing it from Nigeria? We’re not there yet. The quality is not there yet, truly. And where the quality is there, we don’t have enough,” she said.

Ms Samuila linked the industry’s decline partly to Nigeria’s shift away from agriculture following the discovery and commercial exploitation of crude oil.

“With the oil boom came the loss of agriculture, and the death of manufacturing and the skill—the knowledge of actually growing coffee,” she said.

She added that rebuilding the sector would require long-term investment because coffee plants take several years to mature.

According to her, farmers and investors also require dependable electricity, transportation, processing facilities and access to markets before domestic production can compete effectively.

Demand for coffee policy

Founder of Happy Coffee and Coffee Spot and convener of the Lagos Coffee Festival, Princess Adeyinka, said the absence of a coordinated national policy had further weakened the industry.

“On the government level, there is no policy for coffee in Nigeria. Nigeria needs to have a coffee policy,” she said.

Ms Adeyinka identified limited production, poor infrastructure and inadequate access to investment as some of the problems affecting businesses across the coffee value chain.

She said stronger government intervention could help revive cultivation, encourage processing and create employment and income opportunities for young Nigerians.

Nigeria previously exported coffee commercially, but production has declined considerably, leaving businesses increasingly dependent on beans sourced from other African countries and international markets.

Industry operators argue that a national policy could provide direction on cultivation, research, quality standards, processing, financing and exports.

Changing perceptions

Beyond the production challenges, Ms Samuila said growing domestic consumption could make investment in the industry more viable.

She said coffee was still widely perceived in Nigeria as an expensive or foreign drink, despite the country’s history as a producer.

“Coffee is not supposed to be this elitist thing. People forget that once upon a time, coffee was one of our biggest exports,” she said.

“The more people consume it, the more we can invest in it, and it becomes a viable thing.”

READ ALSO: Pete Edochie in Ghana, speaks on health challenges

She said making coffee more accessible to a broader range of consumers could stimulate demand and encourage businesses to invest further in local production.

The event

The EBC Pop-Up Week began with introductory sessions on coffee, including brewing demonstrations, an aroma bar, roast-identification games and tastings.

Other sessions covered chai, tea, milkshakes, coffee-making equipment and the business of establishing and operating cafés.

The final day, held in collaboration with 1883 Maison Routin, featured a pop-up bar, blind tastings and a coffee masterclass led by Levi Gee.

The programme brought together coffee enthusiasts, baristas, café owners, and members of the public as Nigeria joined other countries in marking International Coffee Day on 1 October.