The prolonged inactivity of the Ikom Cocoa Processing Plant in Cross River State has again sparked criticism and concern, as neighbouring Cameroon continues to record massive earnings and industrial growth from cocoa processing.
The factory, widely celebrated during its unveiling as a major industrial breakthrough for Cross River State, was expected to transform Ikom into a leading cocoa processing hub in Nigeria and create thousands of jobs across the cocoa value chain.
Years after its completion, however, the facility is yet to make any meaningful economic impact, with reports indicating that it has generated virtually no revenue since inception.
The development has fueled public frustration, especially as Cameroon aggressively expands its cocoa processing sector and strengthens its dominance in Central and West Africa’s cocoa market.
Recent industry reports show that Cameroon has continued investing heavily in local cocoa processing infrastructure, enabling the country to earn hundreds of millions of dollars through value-added cocoa exports rather than relying solely on raw bean sales.
Economic analysts say the contrast between Cameroon’s progress and the silence surrounding the Ikom factory highlights Nigeria’s long-standing challenge of abandoning critical industrial projects after commissioning ceremonies and political celebrations.
The Ikom Cocoa Processing Plant was originally promoted as one of the flagship projects of the administration of former Cross River State Governor, Ben Ayade. The project was expected to boost export earnings, create employment opportunities, support cocoa farmers, and reduce dependence on raw cocoa exports.
Cross River remains one of Nigeria’s major cocoa-producing states, with large volumes of cocoa cultivated annually across Ikom, Etung, Boki and other parts of the central senatorial district.
Stakeholders believe a functional processing plant in Ikom would significantly improve the local economy by creating direct and indirect jobs for farmers, transporters, exporters, traders, and small businesses.
The continued dormancy of the factory has therefore raised fresh questions about project management, government commitment, and industrial sustainability in the state.
Critics argue that while neighbouring countries are building competitive agro-industrial economies, Nigeria continues to struggle with policy inconsistency, weak infrastructure, and abandoned public investments.
Business leaders and economic observers have repeatedly called on both the federal and state governments to revive the facility and ensure that Cross River benefits from the growing global demand for processed cocoa products.
There are also concerns that Nigeria may continue losing regional competitiveness in the cocoa industry if local processing infrastructure remains underutilised while other African countries rapidly expand production and export capacity.
For many residents and cocoa farmers in Cross River Central, the Ikom factory represents not just an abandoned project, but a missed economic opportunity that could have transformed livelihoods across the region.
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