Cocoa farmers under the umbrella of the Cocoa Farmers Association of Nigeria (CFAN) and the Cocoa Farmers Alliance Association of Africa have urged President Bola Tinubu to clarify the status of the proposed Nigerian Cocoa Board Establishment Bill.
The call was made in an open letter signed by the National President of CFAN, Adeola Adegoke, and made public on Friday. The farmers expressed concern over the absence of official information following the transmission of the bill to the National Assembly in November 2025 and its subsequent withdrawal for amendments.
According to the associations, the bill was first read at the House of Representatives plenary on November 13, 2025, by the Speaker, Abbas Tajudeen. However, it was reportedly withdrawn the following day at the request of the Presidency to allow for corrections. Since then, they said, there has been no official update on its progress.
They also recalled that a similar version of the bill was transmitted to the Senate on November 10, 2025, but was later stepped down for further consideration, a development announced by Senate President Godswill Akpabio during plenary on November 18, 2025.
While acknowledging the need for consultations on major legislation, the farmers said the prolonged silence has created uncertainty across the cocoa value chain, leaving stakeholders unclear about whether the bill is being revised, withdrawn, or abandoned.
“This prolonged silence has generated concern and uncertainty among stakeholders within the cocoa sector who have been encouraged by the Presidency to drive a sustainable cocoa economy for Nigeria,” the letter stated.
The associations also raised concerns over public statements suggesting that the Cocoa Board has already been reinstated, noting that no law has been passed to establish the board and that it is not operational. They said the discrepancy has caused confusion among farmers, processors, exporters, investors, and development partners.
READ ALSO: Tinubu’s Stumble In Türkiye Dismissed As “Silly” By Turkish Officials
According to the farmers, the absence of a functional Cocoa Board has weakened coordination in the sector, limited institutional support, and reduced Nigeria’s competitiveness compared to other cocoa-producing countries.
They explained that the proposed board is intended to regulate and develop the cocoa sector rather than engage in cocoa trading, adding that it would help improve quality standards, sustainability compliance, farmer welfare, research, and investment.
The associations therefore called on President Tinubu to provide clarity on the status of the bill, support its timely review and passage by the National Assembly, and reaffirm the Federal Government’s commitment to strengthening Nigeria’s cocoa sector.