= Barrister Kebesobase Eric Onen-Ifere =
An indigenous business firm, Ifere Manufacturing Company, has announced that it will be opening its cocoa processing factory in Calabar, Cross River State, in the first half of this year.
The company’s Chief Executive Officer, Barrister Kebesobase Eric Onen-Ifere, made this known recently during a stakeholders’ roundtable in Calabar.
According to Ifere, “work is at an advanced stage to commission the factory in the first half of 2026, as the structures housing the factory in Calabar are nearing completion, and all the machinery for start-up has been delivered to the site, awaiting the commencement of business”.
This milestone marks a key phase in a broader roadmap to elevate the Cross River state’s industrial capacity, as the commissioning is a significant step toward a long-term strategy to position Calabar as a leading hub for cocoa processing, attracting sustainable investments that aim to transform the state’s economy over the coming decades.
The Chief Executive Officer, Barrister Ifere, said this investment will make Ifere Manufacturing Company one of the first large-scale cocoa processors in Cross River State.
This initiative supports Nigeria’s drive toward value-added agricultural production and reduces the continued export of raw cocoa beans.
The factory is projected to offset approximately 20% of the raw cocoa beans currently exported, thereby retaining millions of dollars in foreign exchange for the country annually.
The factory will convert raw cocoa beans into semi-finished products, including cocoa liquor, butter, and powder, thereby transform local agriculture by creating hundreds of new jobs and enhance farmer incomes.
Barrister Ifere added that the facility would focus on innovation and product diversification. This includes developing proprietary products such as the Cocoa pill.
Cocoa pill is a cocoa-based innovation designed to expand cocoa use beyond traditional applications such as concentrated, daily supplements containing high levels of cocoa flavanols.
These pills are designed to provide the heart-healthy benefits of cocoa without the high calories, sugar, and fat found in chocolate.
Calabar serves as a key hub for this industrial development, which aims to leverage Cross River State’s agricultural potential and enhance cocoa farmers’ livelihoods.
The choice of Calabar as the preferred location is due to the availability of improved Public electricity supply, the Airport and the sea for export purposes and the presence of other factors that improve the industry.