Linzi Global Nigeria Limited, in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment and the National Association for Coffee and Tea, NACOFTAN, has officially announced the 2026 International Coffee Festival slated to hold in Cross River State.
The announcement was made at a Global Press Conference in Abuja ahead of the festival celebration scheduled for *October 31st and November 1st, 2026.*
Addressing journalists, the Visionary Leader of Linzi Global, *Blessings Nanman*, said Cross River was chosen for its fertile agricultural landscape and its emerging status as Nigeria’s coffee hub. She said this year’s edition is themed *”Coffee Sustainability”* with focus on skill development, community development and job creation.
“The program, which is the international coffee festival coming up in Cross River, is called Coffee Sustainability. And the reason is because of skill development, community development, and job creation,” Nanman said.
She noted that the value chain of coffee remains a powerful tool for youth empowerment and national economic growth, adding that Linzi Global is collaborating with NACOFTAN to bring the event to fruition.
According to her, the impact of the maiden edition is already visible. “Nigerians do not create the habit of consuming coffee but after the festival we have additional 12 coffee shops as a company which has brought together community, friends, families, culture to come together to share through a cup of coffee,” she said.
Nanman disclosed that while the last edition attracted over 20 countries, the 2026 edition will bring together delegates, investors and exhibitors from 30 different countries.
She appreciated the Cross River State Governor, whom she described as “the coffee governor,” for his commitment to coffee development, noting that the state has already raised millions of coffee nursery seedlings to drive awareness and cultivation.
Also speaking, the Cross River State Commissioner for Agriculture and Irrigation Development, *Johnson Ebokpo*, said the State Executive Council approved the hosting of the festival on September 9th as part of strategic efforts to position Cross River globally as a coffee player.
“Our hope generally is that this International Coffee Festival will give us the needed visibility for people to recognize us as a coffee producing state,” Ebokpo stated.
He explained that the state’s venture into coffee is driven by data, noting that global coffee trade volume stood at over $470 billion in 2025, compared to about $125 billion for cocoa.
Ebokpo revealed that Cross River has set a robust ambition to distribute at least 30 million coffee seedlings over the next five years and boasts 23,000 square kilometers of arable land for coffee development.
He added that Cross River holds a unique agro-ecological advantage as the only state in Nigeria capable of growing both varieties – Arabica in the highlands of Obudu Cattle Ranch and Robusta in the lowlands.
“Cross River is the largest producer of cocoa in Nigeria. Apart from that, we are positioning ourselves to be the largest producers of coffee in all of West Africa,” he said, inviting investors and tourists to experience the state’s hospitality, tourism sites and culinary heritage.
In his remarks, the National President of NACOFTAN, *Dr. Hassan Usman Kakara*, commended the Cross River State Government and Linzi Global for championing the coffee and tea value chain.
“Coffee and tea is one of the commodities a country can depend on for her source of income. Job creation, sustainability, environmental friendly,” Kakara said.
He described Cross River’s 30 million seedling initiative as a model for other states, stating, “What the Commissioner is telling you is not storytelling but is reality. If we are able to plant 30 million seedlings, I think we could be best in Africa, not only West Africa.”
Dr. Kakara affirmed NACOFTAN’s full support for the festival and lauded Linzi Global as a critical stakeholder that has gone beyond advocacy to build capacity in coffee processing and marketing both locally and internationally.
The 2026 International Coffee Festival is expected to convene farmers, processors, investors, development partners and international organizations to showcase innovations across the coffee value chain – from production and processing to packaging and export – while fostering a culture of local coffee consumption in Nigeria.
