National cocoa committee seeks urgent action amid EU deforestation regulation

Onome Amuge

The National Cocoa Management Committee (NCMC) has called for urgent action within the cocoa sector in response to the European Union’s Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), highlighting  the need to align with the EUDR’s environmental standards, to enable Nigeria tap into carbon credit funds and ensure the sustainability of its cocoa industry.

Effective since June 29, 2023, the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) has been implemented to address the EU market’s impact on global deforestation, forest degradation, and biodiversity loss. The regulation aims to promote deforestation-free supply chains, reduce the EU’s greenhouse gas emissions, and protect human rights, particularly those of indigenous people.

By the end of 2024, the EUDR will mandate large companies trading in seven key commodities and their derived products to provide evidence that these goods and products do not come from recently deforested areas or contribute to forest degradation.

As the EU is a crucial market for Nigerian cocoa exports, the  move is expected to  help maintain market access and protect the country’s position as a significant player in the global cocoa trade. The NCMC argues that by prioritising environmental regulations and embracing sustainable practices, Nigeria can not only secure its current export relationships but also attract new opportunities in the evolving landscape of the cocoa industry.

Patrick Adebola,  the Secretary of the National Cocoa Management Committee (NCMC), during a visit to the minister of agriculture and food security,addressed the key challenges faced by the cocoa sector, while stressing the importance of aligning with the European Union’s Deforestation Regulation. Adebola also highlighted the need for funding and legislative backing to strengthen the NCMC and transform it into a National Cocoa Board, similar to those in Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire, and Cameroon.

Adebola further stressed the significance of partially regulating Nigeria’s cocoa industry to guarantee quality, transparency, traceability, and sustainability. He argued that by doing so, Nigeria can effectively maintain its cocoa export to the EU, ensure market access, and promote the long-term sustainability of the country’s cocoa industry in the face of global environmental regulations.

On his part, Abubakar Kyari, the minister of agriculture and food security,commented on the remarkable growth in the value of cocoa beans in the Nigerian market. Kyari noted that the value of a tonne of cocoa beans has significantly increased from N1.8 million in January 2024 to a current value of N11.2 million per tonne.

In addition to this growth, the minister observed that Nigeria’s cocoa exports accounted for a significant portion of the country’s agricultural exports, amounting to N1.24 trillion in 2023, and contributed to 5.6 percent of non-oil exports. 

Kyari promised that the ministry will assist the NCMC to access a cocoa fund from the African Development Bank (AfDB) with the target of improving the cocoa industry in Nigeria.

He stated further: “Also, it is noteworthy that the African Development Fund (AFDB) has funds to support the development of Cocoa in Nigeria as mentioned by the NCMC Chairman.

“Therefore, this Ministry will work through the NCMC to access this fund for the development of the cocoa sector and the implementation of the National Cocoa Plan (2023-2032).

“On the issue of the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) threats to Nigerian Cocoa. It is therefore more urgent than ever for Nigeria’s EUDR Preparedness Assessment Check to be undertaken and therefore FMAFS will support the European Union (EU) to embark on the assessment as was done for other Cocoa producing countries such as Ghana, Cote d’Ivoire and so on.”