Cross River State has commenced preparations for Coffee Festival International Nigeria 2026, with the Honourable Commissioner for Agriculture and Irrigation Development, Hon. Johnson Andiambey Ebokpo, flagging off the first rally ahead of the international festival scheduled for October 30 to November 1 in Calabar.
Holding at ASUU Hall, University of Calabar, the second edition will welcome coffee experts from approximately 30 countries under the theme: “Sustainability: Building the Future of Coffee in Nigeria.”
Following its maiden edition in Jos, Plateau State, in 2025, the festival brings the global coffee conversation to Cross River at a time when the state is advancing its ambition to develop coffee into a viable agricultural and commercial value chain.
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Beyond the lectures, training, panel discussions, exhibitions, barista competition, pageantry and international networking, the festival presents an opportunity to connect farmers, entrepreneurs and investors with the knowledge, technology and market partnerships needed to strengthen Nigeria’s coffee industry.
For Cross River, the strategic opportunity lies in translating agricultural potential into measurable economic outcomes: increased production, value addition, employment, stronger farmer incomes and expanded agribusiness investment.
The policy imperative is clear: move beyond producing coffee to building a sustainable coffee economy, one that creates value from farm to market and positions Cross River as a significant contributor to Nigeria’s coffee future.
From Jos to Calabar, the journey continues. This October, Cross River welcomes the global coffee community to advance a shared ambition: a sustainable, competitive and investment-ready Nigerian coffee industry.
SUSTAINABILITY: BUILDING THE FUTURE OF COFFEE IN NIGERIA.
