Cocoa Farmers Demand Clarity from Tinubu on Stalled Cocoa Board Bill
Cocoa farmers in Nigeria have called on President Bola Tinubu to urgently clarify the status of the Nigerian Cocoa Board Establishment Bill, expressing deep concern over the “prolonged silence” surrounding the proposed legislation.
The appeal was made in an open letter released on Friday by the Cocoa Farmers Association of Nigeria (CFAN) and the Cocoa Farmers Alliance Association of Africa (CFAAA).
Signed by CFAN National President Adeola Adegoke, the letter highlights the confusion and uncertainty that has gripped the sector since the bill was withdrawn from the National Assembly late last year.
The farmers pointed out that the executive bill was initially read at the House of Representatives on November 13, 2025, only for the Presidency to reportedly request its withdrawal the very next day to allow for “corrections.”
A similar scenario played out in the Senate, where Senate President Godswill Akpabio announced on November 18, 2025, that the bill had been stepped down for further consideration. Since then, the stakeholders say they have been left in the dark.
“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.
“As of today, cocoa sector stakeholders do not know whether the Bill is undergoing revision, or has been withdrawn, or has been abandoned altogether,” the letter stated.
The associations also sought to correct public misconceptions that the Cocoa Board has already been reinstated.
They emphasized that no lw has been passed to establish the board, and it remains non-operational.
The discrepancy between public statements and legal reality, they argued, is confusing investors, exporters, and development partners.
The farmers argued that the absence of a functional regulatory body has weakened coordination within the industry, limited institutional support, and reduced Nigeria’s competitiveness against other major cocoa producers like Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire.
They clarified that the proposed board is not intended to return to the era of government-controlled cocoa trading.
Instead, its mandate would be to regulate the sector, improve quality standards, ensure sustainability compliance, and enhance farmer welfare and research.
“We call on President Tinubu to provide clarity on the Bill’s status, support its timely review and passage… and reaffirm the Federal Government’s commitment to strengthening the cocoa sector,” the statement concluded.
