Nigeria is taking a decisive step towards domesticating chocolate production with the unveiling of a large-scale 70,000-metric-ton cocoa processing plant by Sunbeth Global Concepts, a move expected to significantly reposition the country within the global confectionery industry.
The new facility, scheduled to begin operations in March 2027, represents a strategic shift away from Nigeria’s long-standing dependence on exporting raw cocoa beans toward higher-value processing and manufacturing. Industry observers say the development could reshape the structure of Nigeria’s agricultural exports while unlocking new revenue streams across the cocoa value chain.
Brandspur Banking News Desk reports that the project was formally presented to global investors and sector leaders at the London Stock Exchange, signaling strong international interest and positioning the plant as a potential anchor for increased foreign direct investment into Nigeria’s agro-industrial sector.
The processing complex will be located in Akure, within Ondo State, a region widely recognised as Nigeria’s cocoa production hub. In addition to cocoa processing, the project includes an 80,000-tonne cashew processing facility, designed to broaden export capacity and strengthen Nigeria’s non-oil revenue base.
Analysts note that while Africa supplies over 70 per cent of the world’s cocoa beans, it captures only a fraction of the value generated from finished chocolate products. By processing cocoa locally at scale, Sunbeth Global Concepts aims to retain more economic value within Nigeria, stimulate industrial development and deepen linkages between agriculture and manufacturing.
The company estimates that the dual processing facilities will generate thousands of direct and indirect jobs, while providing a reliable offtake market for smallholder farmers across cocoa- and cashew-producing communities.
To support long-term supply stability and meet global standards, Sunbeth Global Concepts has embedded the Orange Cocoa Sustainability Framework into the project. The programme is structured to support more than 51,000 farmers through improved agronomic practices, yield enhancement and fully traceable farm-to-export systems.
With global cocoa and chocolate markets estimated to be worth hundreds of billions of dollars, stakeholders say the Akure facility could mark a turning point in Nigeria’s ambition to move from commodity exports to competitive participation in global value-added food manufacturing.
