30 August, 2017
Buhari noted that before now, cocoa was the second largest foreign exchange earner for Nigeria after crude oil where over two million direct and indirect jobs were created along the value chain.
President Muhammadu Buhari met with members of his economic team in the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Monday, August 28, 2017.
The President is not in a position to say that the economy has improved.
Buhari, who was represented by the Minister of Agriculture, Audu Ogbe, said government is very anxious that the decline of Cocoa has moved the nation from her 4th position to 7th position in global Cocoa production.
Saraki, represented by Sen.
He also said the promotion of consumption of cocoa products at origin should be another pillar of the national cocoa plan for Nigeria.
The minister, who said that Ondo and Cross River States produced 60 per cent of cocoa in the country, appealed to other states to join in the production to promote non-oil export.
On his part, Minister of Trade and Investment, Dr Okechukwu Enelamah, said the summit would enable stakeholders to brainstorm with a view to achieving economic diversification and maximum return on investments.
In his opening remarks the President Cocoa Association of Nigeria, Sayina Riman, said the Association would come up with a five year strategic plan that would deepen Public Private Partnerships, PPP, in the industry to attract investors.
Also, Dr. Jean-Marc Anga, Executive Director International Cocoa Organisation (ICCO) stated that Nigeria has the potential to play a leading role in the cocoa sector in Africa and in the world and it must harness all its resources to play that role for its own benefit and for that of the whole African continent.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the Federal Government at the conference declared cocoa as a national drink for citizens of the country.
