Nigeria has begun making coffee starting from the late 19th century. The very first records show us that the introduction of coffee in Nigeria took place in 1896. The profits that coffee brought to the farmers from the crops made this a very fast-growing industry.

Unfortunately, starting with the 21st century, coffee production has begun to dwindle. For example, we can take the year 2006 when the production of coffee by the Nigerian farmers was 89,000 60kg bags of coffee which has declined by 50% in less than 15 years.

Production of Coffee in Nigeria

Just a few decades after the introduction of coffee in Nigeria, more exactly in 1930, the government started to promote it by making the beans (both arabica and robusta) more accessible for local farmers across the country.

After almost 100 years of government involvement, coffee production is facing a number of serious challenges. The most important issue is the amount of land that is being used to cultivate coffee. Most of the farmers reported that the soil has depleted the nutrient so important for coffee development. Another problem is the skills gaps between older and younger generations. 

The most important beans in Nigeria are robusta ones that account for almost 90% of all coffee exports of the country. Thus, robusta is being grown in 14 states in Nigeria (Oyo, Ogun, Ondo, Ekiti, Kwara, Kogi, Edo, Delta, Abia, Cross River, Akwa Ibom, Taraba, Bauchi, Jos). A total of 10,000 smallholder farmers are spread in these 14 states, which form various co-operatives in order to sell their coffee in bulk. Unfortunately for them, most of the coffee trees are aging and thus are less productive. If we add the various crop diseases such as coffee berry diseases, cultivating coffee is a big challenge and to be honest not so attractive a prospect. 

How About Arabica Production?

We already learned that robusta beans are the most produced coffee beans in the country, but what happens to the rest of the 10 percent of coffee production that is arabica? Well, the answer is that a small number of farmers had begun growing high-quality arabica beans. Though this is proving quite a challenge since the limited access to the market as well as a lack of awareness and little to no profit makes many farmers quit the idea. Arabica is only cultivated in two states (Cross River and Taraba). Some sources claim that more than 110 different varieties of arabica beans are being tested in Taraba (Mambilla Plateau).

The lack of information about Nigerian arabica means that there is any known flavor profile. Still, many voices tell us that the Nigerian Arabica Blend that is grown in Taraba has flavor notes of fruit and chocolate balanced with floral aromas. 

Coffee Market and Trading in Nigeria

Major African coffee-producing countries such as Kenya and Ethiopia have the advantage of having a centralized coffee exchange and a formal system for trading coffee that Nigeria lacks. And on top of that, the small number of clients for Nigerian coffee can’t buy a farmer's entire harvest and that is a cause of further instability. All of that is due to the government's lack of involvement in the coffee industry.

The whole selling of Nigerian coffee is made to a handful of buyers that usually represent bigger companies that visit the farms and buy a part of the coffee. The problem is that the prices that the farmers get for this are not sustainable at all, but they ought to accept the deal since it is their only source of income. This can somewhat be resolved by establishing a national coffee body or some kind of farmer’s association. But things move slowly in Nigeria.

The small number of washing stations and mills in the country, of which some are fairly poorly managed, contribute to the further dilution of the price of coffee.

Coffee Consumption in Nigeria

Historically, Nigerians were known to be keen consumers of cocoa, drunk tea, and instant coffee, but things are quickly beginning to change. The demand for coffee has been very high, especially in Lagos. But the access to high-quality products is fairly limited. And if we add the cost of coffee then we have a big turn-off. Until things change, instant coffee will remain the only accessible coffee on the market.

As most of the coffee available on the market in Nigeria is soluble there are a high number of mobile coffee kiosks that are found in most of the major cities, including Lagos. The kiosks sell instant coffee for around 100 Nigerian Naira (approximately 0.24 USD).

Still, the future seems to slightly incline to better. The coffee culture in the country is slowly evolving. Many independent coffee shops are beginning to emerge which come with their own produced ready-to-drink coffees. 

Coffee Future in Nigeria

Real progress cannot be made without government intervention in the sector and without any association of the farmers to encourage the production of coffee, things won’t change. 

Still, the future is not that dark. There is still hope in all this uncertainty. There is an act to create a National Tea and Coffee Development Council that made its way through the Nigerian National Assembly. Passing this act will give the coffee industry the push that it needs.