…Dual facilities to boost African export capacity
Sunbeth Global Concepts Ltd, one of Nigeria’s largest cocoa exporters, has announced plans to establish a 70,000-metric tonne capacity cocoa processing factory alongside an 80,000-metric tonne cashew processing plant, both currently under construction, as part of its long-term strategy to deepen local value addition across Africa’s agricultural value chains.
Olasunkanmi Owoyemi, the managing director, made the announcement during the Africa Cocoa Finance and Investment Forum (ACFIF) held at the London Stock Exchange. The facility is scheduled for commissioning in March 2027.
The dual investment reflects Sunbeth’s commitment to building industrial-scale agro-processing capacity in two of Africa’s most strategic export commodities. The Managing Director noted that Sunbeth has evolved from a trading enterprise into an integrated processor, a transition designed to capture greater value, create sustainable employment and drive operational efficiency. The cocoa facility will reinforce Nigeria’s position in the global cocoa processing landscape, while the cashew plant will serve growing demand across West Africa and supply premium export markets in Europe, Asia and the Americas.
Sunbeth’s decision to invest in state-of-the-art, purpose-built processing facilities marks a decisive shift in Africa’s agricultural value chain. The company is committed to constructing brand-new, best-in-class plants, reflecting its conviction that world-class ambition demands world-class infrastructure.
Read also: Inside Sunbeth’s push to scale Nigeria’s cocoa exports
Having grown from a domestic trading operation less than a decade ago into one of Nigeria’s — and indeed Africa’s — foremost cocoa exporters, Sunbeth is now executing the next phase of its corporate journey: industrial-scale processing.
“Scaling in this industry demands far more than capacity expansion. A 70,000-metric tonne cocoa processing plant is only as viable as the supply chain that sustains it. Vertical integration is not optional; it is the foundation of a business built to last. The processing journey calls for significantly greater commitment from us — we must participate in backward integration by cultivating the crops required to feed our plants, and we must invest deeply in our value chain by empowering farmers with the education, technology, financing structures and logistics needed to improve yields and ensure that our facilities operate sustainably,” said Mr. Olasunkanmi Owoyemi, Managing Director, Sunbeth Global Concepts Ltd.
The processing plant announcements form part of a comprehensive vertical integration strategy. Through its Orange Cocoa Sustainability Framework, the company is investing in best-in-class quality control infrastructure, farmer training programmes, and strategic partnerships designed to lift cocoa yields and elevate quality standards at the farm level. Sunbeth’s approach is grounded in the conviction that sustainable processing capacity must be underpinned by a reliable, high-quality domestic supply chain — one that the company is determined to build itself.
Sunbeth currently operates across Nigeria, Ghana and Cameroon — three of West Africa’s most important cocoa-producing nations. The company has also established offices in London, Dubai and New York to strengthen its access to global markets, international talent and diversified trade finance structures. This combination of deep African roots and a growing international presence positions Sunbeth to capture value across the entire cocoa supply chain, from farm to finished product.
Looking ahead to 2050, Sunbeth’s leadership envisions an Africa that not only produces the majority of the world’s cocoa and cashew, but also processes, trades and derives the full economic benefits of these commodities. The company’s sustained investment in processing infrastructure, research, vertical integration and global market access has been deliberately designed to lay the groundwork for that future.
