By Toba Adesunmiboye
The International Cocoa Diplomacy (ICD) has announced a strategic partnership with the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) for the 2025 edition of the Eko Chocolate Show, themed “A Celebration of Cocoa, Culture, Community, Chocolate, and Creativity.”
The collaboration, officially unveiled in Lagos, aims to bridge the gap between Africa’s dominance in cocoa production representing about 70 percent of global supply and value-added chocolate manufacturing through strategic partnerships, knowledge transfer, and market development.
Speaking during a press briefing, Prince Abimbola Olashore, Vice President and Chairman of the Trade Promotion Board, LCCI, said the Lagos International Trade Fair has evolved into a major platform for partnership and showcasing Nigeria’s economic potential.
He commended International Cocoa Diplomacy for partnering with the chamber to promote cocoa development and value addition in Nigeria, Africa, and beyond.
Prince Olashore also praised Oba Dokun Thompson, the Oloni of Eti-Oni, Osun State, for his pioneering role in promoting value addition to cocoa, urging other Nigerians to emulate his dedication to transforming the sector.
Explaining the significance of the theme, Oba Dokun Thompson said Africa and Nigeria stand at a crossroads in adding value to their raw materials, noting that the “battlefield” represents the historical struggle for control and identity in cocoa’s journey from colonial exploitation to indigenous empowerment.
According to Oba Thompson, the Eko Chocolate Show is designed to connect cocoa, art, and culture while spotlighting Nigeria’s emerging chocolate and creative industries before a global audience.
His wife, Her Royal Majesty Queen Angelique-Monet Gureje-Thompson, Yeyeluwa Olori of Eti-Oni, described the exhibition as a landmark cultural event that unites artists from around the world to celebrate cocoa heritage and Nigeria’s role as the cradle of West African cocoa.
She emphasized that the arts are no longer just for entertainment but have become powerful tools for development and generational wealth creation.
Queen Angelique-Monet further stated that the Eko Chocolate Show 2025 represents Africa’s most prestigious chocolate industry event, uniquely positioned at the intersection of cultural celebration, economic development, and international commerce.
She added that this year’s edition will create Africa’s first integrated chocolate-culture-commerce platform, positioning Lagos as the continent’s chocolate and trade capital.
Also speaking, Mr. Sola Oluwadare, Director of Trade at the LCCI, said the initiative represents an innovative addition to this year’s Lagos International Trade Fair calendar. “It’s a festival that goes beyond a specialized exhibition. The uniqueness of this year’s fair lies in this specialized platform — a new product, a new baby of the fair,” he noted.
The Eko Chocolate Show will debut during the first two days of the Lagos International Trade Fair — Friday, November 7, and Saturday, November 8, 2025 — and will extend into a weeklong celebration of cocoa, culture, and creativity across major venues in Lagos until Friday, November 14, 2025.
The weeklong lineup of events will feature the Festival of Chocolate, Royal Cocoa International Film Festival, Royal Cocoa International Fine Arts Exhibition, and the Royal Cocoa Symphony Orchestra Concert.
The Festival of Chocolate and Royal Cocoa International Film Festival will open the series on Friday 7 and Saturday 8 November 2025, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily, showcasing chocolate tastings, exhibitions, film screenings, and cultural displays celebrating Africa’s cocoa heritage and artistry in chocolate production.
Following that, the Royal Cocoa International Fine Arts Exhibition, themed “The Royal Origins and Traditions of Cocoa: From Battlefield to Beans – The Eti-Oni Cocoa Renaissance,” will hold at the National Museum, Onikan, from Monday, November 10, to Friday, November 14, 2025, between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. daily, with a VIP reception scheduled for Tuesday, November 11.
The grand finale, the Royal Cocoa Symphony Orchestra Concert, will take place on Friday, November 14, 2025, at The Colonades, Ikoyi, with a cocktail reception at 6:00 p.m., followed by the concert from 7:30 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.
The organizers emphasized that the initiative seeks to promote business connections, stimulate creativity, and position Nigeria as a hub for cocoa excellence and cultural innovation.
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