Former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Babangida Nguroje has called for a deliberate government policy that would promote local tea production in Nigeria like the way it is done in other African countries such Burundi, Kenya and Rwanda.
The former deputy speaker said the tea industry has the capacity to contribute immensely to any programme designed to diversify the nation’s economy.
Nguroje spoke with journalists at the opening ceremony of the 2025 Nigerian International Tea Festival at the Yar’Adua Center in Abuja.
He said countries like Sri-Lanka have made giant strides through tea production and that Nigeria cannot be an exception.
Nguroje, one of Nigerians top tea farmers with over 2000 hectares for tea and coffee, said that globally, the tea industry is worth over $70 billion and is projected to grow to more than $105 billion by 2023.
“I am positive that if the critical stakeholders here today collectively invest scaling the sector through modem farming technologies, value chain development, access to finance, youth and women inclusion.
“There is also the strong partnership between government, private sector and development partners. Nigeria’s tea industry could contribute billions to our GDP, create thousands of jobs and open new export opportunities, especially within Africa under the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCTA) framework,” Nguroje said.
He commended the Vice chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for North East, Mustapha Salihu on his ingenuity and thoughtfulness for covening a critical all stakeholders meeting as a prelude for the defection of the Taraba State Governor, Agbu Kefas.
He said the decision to make wilder consultations and ensure inclusivity ahead of the occasion was an indication of the quality of leadership offered by Mustapha and his ability to coordinate and promote unity for the good of the state and the zone in general is not in doubt.
Also speaking at the event, the Rwandan High Commissioner to Nigeria, Ambassador Christophe Bazivamo said their country is ready to collaborate with Nigeria with the view to promote and encourage growth.
“Rwanda believes that forums like this are critical for sharing knowledge, learning from one another and exploring strategies to unlock the full potential of our agricultural sector. Nigeria’s tea-producing regions hold significant potential with fertile lands and a growing domestic market.
“The country is well positioned to expand it’s tea production, enhance quality and tap into regional and international markets. The opportunity for value addition and export growth is immense and with focused strategies, these possibilities can be transformed into tangible economic and social benefits,” Bazivamo said.