By Anietie Akpan
The Chairperson of the National Coconut Processors and Marketers Association of Nigeria (NACOPMAN) in Kogi State, Hajia Hariratu Sulaiman Yakubu, has urged the European Commission and the African Union (AU) to jointly invest in large-scale coconut plantations to boost food security, create jobs, and promote rural development across Africa.
Yakubu, who is also the President and Founder of Doubletree Farms Foundation Group, made the call during a meeting with European and African Union Simulation Agenda 2063 delegates, led by Ambassador Young Piero Omatsaye.
Coconut Farming a Source of Generational Wealth.
Describing coconut as a crop with immense economic and social potential, Yakubu, popularly known as Mama Coconut, said the plant remains one of the most sustainable agricultural ventures on the continent.
“Coconut takes about three to five years to mature, but afterward, you harvest every 18 days. It sustains families for decades and can transform communities,” she said.
She explained that her foundation had launched the All-Season Farmers Initiative to promote year-round production, enhance export standards, and empower youth and women through agribusiness opportunities.
Yakubu said the Doubletree Coconut Investment Hub was conceived as a transformative platform to unite key players across the coconut value chain, from investors and farmers to processors and entrepreneurs.
According to her, the initiative aims to achieve coconut self-sufficiency through coordinated, cluster-based investments that promote profitability, sustainability, and shared ownership.
“Through its eco-smart infrastructure and inclusive model, the Coconut Hub empowers enterprises to grow while nurturing a culture of collaboration and green investment,” she added.
She described the hub as more than just an investment platform, but a space where “business meets lifestyle” blending innovation, hospitality, and sustainability in line with the “Doubletree spirit” of excellence and comfort.
In his remarks, Ambassador Young Piero Omatsaye, who serves as Director, Parliament African Union Simulation Agenda 2063, commended Doubletree Farms Foundation for linking agribusiness with social impact.
He disclosed that his team was working on a $300 million hospital project in Nigeria as part of efforts to strengthen Europe-Africa cooperation.
“We are here for real investments,to share responsibility and prosperity,” Omatsaye said.
Also speaking, a representative of the European Commission, Ms. Velichka Stamenova, expressed readiness to support the initiative through EU funding and private investment partnerships.
Rwandan delegate Engr. Patrick Kagabo also praised the Doubletree model, pledging to explore the feasibility of coconut cultivation under Rwanda’s climate conditions.
The event climaxed with the decoration of Ms. Stamenova and Ambassador Omatsaye as Special Ambassadors of the Doubletree Farms Foundation and Coconut Development Initiative in Africa, in recognition of their support for agribusiness collaboration and sustainable rural development.
