> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://thechocolatelife.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # ICD’s ICCF Abuja/Lagos Nigeria 2024 | #PodSaveChocolate - URL: https://thechocolatelife.com/icds-iccf-abuja-lagos-nigeria-2024-podsavechocolate/ - Published: 2024-01-18T17:13:47.000Z - Updated: 2024-01-22T17:55:56.000Z - Description: Episode 12 of #PodSaveChocolate comprises a report of my recent trip to Nigeria for International Cocoa Diplomacy’s International Cocoa and Chocolate Forum. - Author: Clay Gordon - Tags: PodSaveChocolate, Live Stream ## **When and Where to Watch** 🗓️ This episode airs live from 10:00 PST / 13:00 EST / 18:00 GMT on Friday, January 19th, 2024. [ICD’s ICCF Abuja/Lagos Nigeria 2024 | #PodSaveChocolateEpisode 12 OverviewIn this episode of #PodSaveChocolate, I will discuss my impressions of my second trip to Nigeria, during which I was tasked with moderatin…![](https://www.youtube.com/s/desktop/80338919/img/favicon_144x144.png)YouTube![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/fKhEWxFleUA/maxresdefault_live.jpg)](https://youtube.com/live/fKhEWxFleUA?ref=thechocolatelife.com) Click to watch in a new tab or window. Please subscribe (free!) to the [@PodSaveChocolate YouTube channel](https://www.youtube.com/@podsavechocolate/featured?ref=thechocolatelife.com) as well as like this video, comment, and share to help grow the #PSC community. Link to [watch and comment](https://www.linkedin.com/posts/claygordon%5Fpodsavechocolate-lavidacocoa-thechocolatelife-activity-7153791683871051779-vRTZ?utm%5Fsource=share&utm%5Fmedium=member%5Fdesktop) from my LinkedIn profile. Link to [watch and comment](https://www.facebook.com/TheChocolateLife/) on TheChocolateLife page on Facebook. --- ## **Episode 12 Overview** **TRIP REPORT!** My first visit to Nigeria was in 2021 and I wrote about that trip here: [Nigeria PhotoblogMy first-ever trip to Africa was to Nigeria. I went to install and train on chocolate equipment in a factory in Ikom, about 25km from the Cameroon border in the state of Cross River.![](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/images/size/w256h256/2020/12/JR_Pods60x60FavIconCutoutButtons.png)The Chocolate LifeClay Gordon![](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/images/2021/09/Nigeria_Bebrief-FeaturedImage.jpg)](https://thechocolatelife.com/nigeria-photoblog/) For this recent trip, I was tasked with moderating panels at International Cocoa Diplomacy’s International Cocoa and Chocolate Forum / Nigeria, held in Abuja and Lagos. International Cocoa Diplomacy (“ICD”), while incorporated in London, was founded by the Oloni of Eti-Oni, HRM Oba Dokun Thompson, my host on this trip as well as for my visit to London in October 2023. [TCL LIVE | A Choccy Week in London TownEpisode 142 of #TheChocolateLifeLIVE goes LIVE at 10:00 AM PDT / 1:00 PM EDT on Tuesday, October 31st.![](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/images/size/w256h256/2020/12/JR_Pods60x60FavIconCutoutButtons.png)The Chocolate LifeTheChocolateWire![](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/images/2023/10/will-h-mcmahan-2s2GuevIqXA-unsplash-Featured1920x1080.jpg)](https://thechocolatelife.com/tcl-live-a-choccy-week-in-london-town/) The report for my visit to London. Nigeria is roughly four times the area of Ghana with over 6.5 times the population. With over 220 million inhabitants, the Nigerian market is roughly two-thirds that of the United States. And, Lagos boasts one of the busiest ports in Africa, much busier than Abidjan in Côte d’Ivoire, which produces 7-8x more cocoa than Nigeria does. Cocoa is an important crop in Nigeria and is one of the most valuable non-oil export commodities. With those statistics in mind, the overall theme of ICCF/Nigeria 2024 was ***Putting Value in Cocoa in Producing Regions***. The session in **Abuja** (the federal capital) focused on policy and finance and was attended by the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, the Budget Minister, an associate focused on agriculture from the American Embassy, the MD/CEO of NEXIM – the Nigerian Export-Import Bank (an arm of the Central Bank of Nigeria), and the ED/CEO of the Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria (CRIN), among others. Presentation and panel topics included the *Impact of EUDR Compliance on the Nigerian Cocoa Sector;* *COP 28 Resolutions;* *Expanding Thinking Beyond Cocoa Beans and the Opportunities for Investment and Job Creation;* and the *Importance of Classification and Denomination*. The session in **Lagos** focused on investment and entrepreneurship, with representatives from the offices of the governors of Lagos and Osun States, Nigeria’s Chief Trade Negotiator, the Commissioner of Lagos’ Ministry of Commerce, Cooperatives, Trade, and Investment, the MD/EDs of several banks, and several young entrepreneurs in coffee, cocoa, and chocolate. Presentation and panel topics included *Understanding Valuation Addition Beyond Transforming Cocoa into Derivatives, Clarifying Taxes in Relation to Value Addition*; Opportunities for Wealth Creation within AfCTA; and *The Future of Cocoa and its Transformation Potential*. In this episode of PodSaveChocolate, I will discuss my impressions of the trip with a focus on the two conference days. I will also talk about my trip to CRIN and the work they are doing there ... > and there will be a live, first-impression, tasting of several Nigerian chocolate brands I picked up on the trip. --- ### **Links and Other Resources** **Some press from the conference session in Lagos** [ICCF 2024-Nigeria: Abuja Session Ends On High Notes | midwestheraldThe Abuja Session, of ICCF 2024 ended on very high notes last Tuesday, January 9, 2024 at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja Nigeria.![](https://midwestherald.ng/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/H-300x300.png)midwestheraldmidwest![](https://midwestherald.ng/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/ICCF-FIN-MINISTER.jpg)](https://midwestherald.ng/iccf-2024-nigeria-ends-on-high-notes/?ref=thechocolatelife.com) [NEXIM Bank Launches Digital Platform to Unite African Cocoa Communities - THISDAYLIVE![](https://www.thisdaylive.com/favicon/apple-icon-180x180.png)THISDAYLIVE![](https://global.ariseplay.com/amg/www.thisdaylive.com/uploads/NEXIM-Bank.png)](https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2024/01/12/nexim-bank-launches-digital-platform-to-unite-african-cocoa-communities?ref=thechocolatelife.com) One of more than a half-dozen articles in Nigerian press outlets covering the launch of [Cocoa Connect Africa](https://cocoaconnectafrica.com/?ref=thechocolatelife.com). [Sanwo-Olu calls for Multifaceted Approach To Enhance Cocoa MarketThe Governor of Lagos State, Southwestern, Nigeria, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has called for a multifaceted approach to multiply the benefits in cocoa production for![](https://von.gov.ng/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/cropped-favicon-270x270.jpeg)Voice of NigeriaShakirat Sadiq![](https://von.gov.ng/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/IMG-20240111-WA0023.webp)](https://von.gov.ng/sanwo-olu-calls-for-multifaceted-approach-to-enhance-cocoa-market/?ref=thechocolatelife.com) ![](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/images/2024/01/WhatsApp-Image-2024-01-14-at-05.24.31.jpeg) ![](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/images/2024/01/WhatsApp-Image-2024-01-14-at-05.22.58.jpeg) ![](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/images/2024/01/WhatsApp-Image-2024-01-08-at-11.33.21.jpeg) 0:00 /3:07 1× ![](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/images/2024/01/WhatsApp-Image-2024-01-14-at-01.40.56jpeg.jpeg) ![](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/images/2024/01/WhatsApp-Image-2024-01-14-at-01.41.01-1.jpeg) From our visit to CRIN in Ibadan. ![](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/images/2024/01/IMG_E4326-Large-1.jpeg) Small-scale manufacturing facility at CRIN ![](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/images/2024/01/IMG_E4329-Large-1.jpeg) ![](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/images/2024/01/IMG_E4327-Large-1.jpeg) ![](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/images/2024/01/IMG_E4328-Large-1.jpeg) Some of the chocolate-making equipment – \[ L > R \] Pin mill, Universal, 3-roll mill. ![](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/images/2024/01/IMG_E4334-Large.jpeg) ![](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/images/2024/01/IMG_E4333-Large.jpeg) ![](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/images/2024/01/IMG_E4330-Large.jpeg) ![](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/images/2024/01/IMG_E4332-Large.jpeg) ![](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/images/2024/01/IMG_E4331-Large.jpeg) ![](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/images/2024/01/IMG_E4335-Large.jpeg) ![](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/images/2024/01/IMG_E4338-Large-2.jpeg) ![](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/images/2024/01/IMG_E4337-Large-1.jpeg) ![](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/images/2024/01/IMG_E4339-Large.jpeg) CRIN Flavor Lab --- **Episode Hashtags** #ICD #ICCF #Nigeria #Abuja #Lagos #CRIN #cocoa #cacao #cacau #chocolate #chocolat #PodSaveChocolate #PodSaveChoc #PSC #LaVidaCocoa #TheChocolateLife --- ### **#TheChocolateLifeLIVE Archive** **To read an archived post** and find the links to watch archived episodes, click on the bookmark card, below. [#TheChocolateLifeLIVE ArchiveNews, views, and conversations on topics in cocoa and chocolate streamed live to YouTube, LinkedIn, and Facebook.![](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/images/size/w256h256/2020/12/JR_Pods60x60FavIconCutoutButtons.png)The Chocolate LifeClay Gordon![](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/images/2023/03/solen-feyissa-WG7v_wYZW4Q-unsplash-CalendarFeatured1920x1080.jpg)](https://thechocolatelife.com/thechocolatelife-live-calendar/) ## Not a Member? Live The Chocolate Life – Live La Vida Cocoa! Sign up for Free to comment and receive members-only content. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. Premium subscriptions available. ---