Nigerian agribusiness entrepreneur Rotimi Opeyemi leads JR Farms Group to $60 million Liberia coffee deal

Nigerian agribusiness entrepreneur Rotimi Opeyemi has taken JR Farms Group into a major new phase of growth after the family-owned agricultural company signed a $60 million public-private partnership agreement with the Liberian government to help revive the country’s coffee industry and expand agricultural exports.

The 20-year concession agreement, signed through Liberia’s Ministry of Agriculture, is one of the largest recent commitments to the country’s coffee sector. It is designed to increase coffee production, strengthen export earnings, and create employment opportunities across rural communities while deepening private-sector participation in agriculture.

$60 million Liberia coffee expansion deal

Under the agreement, more than 200,000 farmers are expected to benefit from a program that will develop over 250,000 hectares of coffee plantations during the next two decades. The project includes plans to plant at least 200 million coffee trees and is projected to create more than 300,000 direct and indirect jobs across Liberia’s coffee value chain.

The deal, expected to have an investment impact of $60 million, was signed in Monrovia by Liberia Agriculture Minister Dr. J. Alexander Nuetah and Rotimi Opeyemi, founder and group chief executive officer of JR Farms Group. The partnership comes as Liberia seeks to rebuild its coffee industry, once known for Liberica coffee. The country’s soil and climate support Arabica and Robusta production, with policymakers expecting export growth and rural income gains. 

For the Liberian government, coffee has become a priority crop under efforts to diversify the economy and strengthen agricultural production. The agreement also supports the objectives of Liberia’s National Agriculture Development Plan, which aims to establish 15,000 hectares of new coffee farms over the next five years.

Reclaiming Africa’s rich coffee heritage

As part of the program, JR Farms will work with the government and farming communities to establish nurseries, distribute improved coffee seedlings and expand farmer training initiatives. The company will also help develop coffee washing stations, quality assurance systems and structured out-grower programs intended to improve productivity and market access.

The project is expected to introduce digital farmer registration systems, guaranteed offtake arrangements and, ultimately, a Liberia Coffee Exchange that could help connect local producers with wider regional and international markets. Initial activities will focus on key coffee-producing counties including Nimba, Lofa and Bong.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, Opeyemi said the project represents a long-term commitment to rebuilding Africa’s position in the global coffee trade. “We are working to help strengthen Africa’s role in the global coffee industry, one country at a time. Liberia has a long history as a coffee-producing nation, particularly through its unique Liberica variety. We believe this partnership can support the sector’s recovery, create jobs, strengthen value addition and generate new economic opportunities for the country,” he said.

JR Farms expands West African footprint

The agreement marks another milestone for JR Farms Group, founded in 2013 by Rotimi Opeyemi and Jibike Opeyemi. The name combines their initials. The company started farming in Nigeria and expanded to Rwanda, Zambia, France and Canada. Jibike Oyeyemi grew up in Ilorin, Kwara State, and developed an early interest in nutrition and food formulation. Rotimi Opeyemi built experience in agribusiness advocacy and agricultural development.

JR Farms operates across the agricultural value chain including coffee production, processing, trading and retail. It works with more than 9,000 farmers across three countries, operates three processing facilities and runs 16 coffee shops in two countries. The company employs more than 120 people across four countries and supports indirect jobs. It began with cassava farming in Nigeria and expanded into coffee production, processing, export trade, consulting and cross-border agricultural commerce.

Through its retail operations, the group serves thousands of customers daily while expanding its coffee business across African and international markets. It has invested in real estate projects in Nigeria. The Liberia agreement positions the company in a West African coffee development project aimed at increasing production, expanding exports, and improving the country’s role in the global coffee market.