Odu’a Investment Company Limited has signed a N10 billion deal with Côte d’Ivoire, the largest exporter of cocoa in Africa, to support its investment drives to boost cocoa and cassava production and non-oil commodity exports in the country.
The conglomerate’s Group Chairman, Mr. Bimbo Ashiru, made this disclosure during the grand finale of Cocoa House @60 celebrations held on Tuesday in Ibadan, Oyo State.
He said: “I have to be honest with you, our focus is now on agriculture. I am happy to tell you that on the day of our AGM, we signed a deal with the largest exporter of cocoa in Africa. We signed about over a N10 billion deal with them, and we are going to focus on that area – cocoa and cassava.”
Ashiru harped on the increasing need to revive the South West region’s agricultural heritage, and urged the governors in the region to create conducive environment, including investments in facilities, to reenact the feats recorded in cash crops production in the olden days in the region.
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He challenged the governors to establish a monument in each state that could be named Cassava House, Timber House, or Rubber House, stressing that the governments and the people “need to bring the old glory back.”
Prior to the crude oil era, cocoa remained one of the foreign exchange (FX) earning commodities for Nigeria, with the South West region accounting for over 70 per cent of the yearly production.
