Liberia has signed a $60 million coffee production agreement with Nigerian agro-development company, JR Farms Group, in a landmark move aimed at reviving the country’s coffee industry, boosting exports and creating hundreds of thousands of jobs.
The 20-year partnership, executed through Liberia’s Ministry of Agriculture, is expected to benefit more than 200,000 farmers and facilitate the development of over 250,000 hectares of coffee plantations across the country over the next two decades.
The agreement was signed in Monrovia by Liberia’s Minister of Agriculture, Dr J. Alexander Nuetah, and the Founder and Group Chief Executive Officer of JR Farms Group, Olawale Rotimi Oyeyemi.
Under the initiative, at least 200 million coffee trees will be planted, while more than 300,000 direct and indirect jobs are projected to be created across Liberia’s coffee value chain.
Liberia, renowned for its distinctive Liberica coffee variety, possesses favourable agroecological conditions and fertile soils suitable for cultivating Liberica, Arabica and Robusta coffee species.
The partnership forms part of the Liberian government’s broader strategy to reposition agriculture as a key driver of economic growth, export diversification and rural development. Coffee has been identified by the Ministry of Agriculture as one of the priority crops under the country’s agricultural transformation agenda.
The initiative also aligns with Liberia’s National Agriculture Development Plan (NADP), which targets the establishment of 15,000 hectares of new coffee farms within the next five years as part of efforts to revitalise the sector and increase agricultural exports.
Speaking during the signing ceremony, Nuetah described the agreement as a significant milestone in Liberia’s quest to regain its status as a competitive coffee-producing nation.
“This partnership represents a major opportunity to revive Liberia’s coffee sector, empower farmers, create jobs and unlock new economic opportunities for rural communities across the country,” he said.
Oyeyemi said the deal marked the beginning of a long-term effort to reposition Africa as a global coffee powerhouse.
“Historically, Liberia is known as a coffee-producing nation with its unique Liberica variety. Through this partnership, the country’s coffee sector will be revitalised and repositioned for growth, value-chain development, job creation and revenue generation.
“We commend the Liberian Government under the leadership of President Joseph Boakai and the Minister of Agriculture for their visionary leadership,” he said.
JR Farms Group, which operates in Nigeria, Rwanda, Zambia, Benin and France, brings more than 13 years of experience in agribusiness development, coffee production, processing and international trade.
The company currently works with thousands of farmers across Africa, operates several processing facilities and manages a growing network of coffee retail outlets.
As part of the agreement, JR Farms will collaborate with the Liberian government and local farmers to establish nurseries, distribute improved coffee seedlings, strengthen farmer training program and develop commercially viable coffee washing stations.
The project will further introduce grading and quality assurance systems, digital farmer registration platforms, structured out-grower schemes and guaranteed offtake arrangements. Plans are also underway to establish a Liberia Coffee Exchange to enhance market access and competitiveness for local producers.
Implementation will initially focus on key coffee-producing regions, including Nimba, Lofa and Bong counties, with particular emphasis on youth participation, rural transformation and inclusive agricultural growth.
Analysts say the initiative has the potential to significantly boost Liberia’s agricultural exports while creating sustainable livelihoods for thousands of rural households and strengthening the country’s position in the global coffee market.
- TOYIN ADEBAYO, ABUJA
