Former President Kufuor to Deliver Keynote Address at ACFIF 2026 on Africa’s Cocoa Future in London

The inaugural Africa Cocoa Finance & Investment Forum (ACFIF 2026) will open in London on May 6, 2026, with a high-profile Special Address by former President of Ghana, John Agyekum Kufuor.

He is expected to chart a long-term roadmap for Africa’s cocoa transformation under the theme “Africa Cocoa Vision 2050 – Historical Reflections and Future Pathways.”

Hosted at the London Stock Exchange, the forum will bring together global investors, policymakers, development finance institutions, and private sector leaders to explore new investment frontiers across Africa’s cocoa value chain.

A Vision Rooted in Experience and Reform

President Kufuor’s address is expected to carry significant historical and policy weight, drawing from both his tenure in office and his personal connection to cocoa farming. His leadership between 2001 and 2008 is widely credited with reshaping Ghana’s cocoa industry through major productivity and structural reforms.

During that period, Ghana’s cocoa output rose from about 300,000 tonnes in 2001 to roughly 750,000 tonnes by the 2003/04 season, supported by nationwide mass cocoa spraying and fertiliser programmes. His administration also strengthened value addition by attracting major processors including Barry Callebaut, Olam, Cargill, Niche Cocoa, and CHOCOMAC, helping to lay the foundation for Ghana’s modern cocoa processing ecosystem.

These interventions contributed to Ghana’s historic milestone of a 1 million tonne cocoa harvest in the 2010/11 season.

At ACFIF 2026, Kufuor is expected to advocate for cocoa as a central pillar of Africa’s industrialisation agenda, positioning the crop not only as an export commodity but as a catalyst for regional integration, manufacturing expansion, and sustainable economic growth.

High-Level Dialogue on Investment and Value Chains

Following the keynote, delegates will engage in a strategic panel discussion on “Africa Cocoa Vision 2050: Opportunities for Regional Growth & Transformation.” The session will focus on investment mobilisation, value chain strengthening, and Africa’s competitiveness in global cocoa markets.

Among the key contributors are Olasunkanmi Owoyemi of Sunbeth Global Concepts, and H.E. Alex Assanvo, representing the Côte d’Ivoire–Ghana Cocoa Initiative.

A second thematic session, “Reimagining Cocoa Value Addition: Financing Chocolate Manufacturing, Nutraceuticals & Pharmaceutical Innovation,” will examine opportunities beyond raw bean exports, including industrial and health-based cocoa derivatives.

Speakers include Patricia Poku-Diaby of Plot Enterprises and Vishnu Kakra of Johnvents Industries Limited, who are expected to highlight strategies for scaling manufacturing capacity and deepening Africa’s role in global cocoa-derived industries.

New Market Architecture on the Agenda

Adding a policy dimension to the discussions, Executive Director of the International Cocoa Organization, Michel Arrion, will deliver a keynote introducing the proposed African Cocoa Exchange (AfCX). The platform is envisioned as a mechanism to improve price transparency, enhance market efficiency, and strengthen Africa’s bargaining power in global cocoa trade.

A Platform for Cocoa’s Next Era

The Africa Cocoa Finance & Investment Forum (ACFIF 2026) is being positioned as a premier global platform dedicated to unlocking finance, innovation, and partnerships across Africa’s cocoa economy. Organisers say the forum will bridge long-standing gaps between capital markets and bankable projects while shaping policy dialogue around trade, industrialisation, and sustainability.

As global demand for sustainable cocoa continues to rise, ACFIF 2026 is expected to mark a pivotal moment in reimagining Africa’s role—from raw material supplier to fully integrated global cocoa powerhouse.

Read the full statement below;

PREZ KUFUOR AT ACFIF 2026 – PRESS RELEASE v3