Kigali, Rwanda, July 9, 2026, Rwanda on July 8 opened the Africa Coffee & Tea Expo 2026 in Kigali, bringing together more than 1,000 delegates from 25 countries to strengthen trade, investment and partnerships across the continent’s coffee and tea sectors.
The three-day event, happening at the Kigali Convention Centre, has over 150 exhibitors and more than 100 international buyers, and it pulls in people from nearly every point of the chain, including farmers, processors, exporters, financiers, policymakers, plus technology providers.
Organizers say the expo wants to unlock fresh market chances, and speed up value addition in Africa coffee and tea industries, all under the theme “Blending Africa’s Finesse with Global Business.”
At the opening, The Minister of Agriculture and Animal Resources, Dr Telesphore Ndabamenye said coffee and tea still sit right at the center of Africa’s economy and everyday life, supporting millions of smallholder farmers across the continent.
“Coffee and tea are far more than commodities. They are heritage. They are livelihoods,” he said “Across Africa, tens of millions of smallholder farmers, many of them women and young people, rise before dawn to tend these crops.”
He also pointed to Rwanda numbers, noting the country exported 39.5 million kilograms of tea, worth $117 million, and 22 million kilograms of coffee valued at $139 million in 2025, which he said shows just how big the sector is for livelihoods and growth.
The minister urged more value addition, saying stakeholders should move away from selling only raw produce.“The future of African coffee and tea lies not only in how much we grow, but in how much value we add through roasting, blending, packaging and branding before our products leave our shores,” he said.
He further mentioned how the African Continental Free Trade Area can expand intra-African trade, and also strengthen regional value chains.
European Union Ambassador to Rwanda, Belen Calvo Uyarra, emphasized the importance of transparent value chains and growth that includes more people.
“Partnerships create stronger value chains, and stronger value chains create stronger communities,” she said, calling for extra backing for young entrepreneurs and for sustainable production practices too.
Racheal Mwayiki, Project Lead for the expo, said the event gives industry players a place to connect, exchange ideas, and form long term partnerships.
“This is where Africa’s coffee and tea value chain comes together to do business, share knowledge and shape the future of the sector,” she said.
Alongside the discussions, there are barista competitions, cupping sessions, and business-to-business meetings, all meant to show the quality and variety of African coffee and tea.
Rwanda, also described as the “land of a thousand hills,” is working to position itself as a regional hub for high quality coffee and tea, with efforts that aim at improving production, raising quality standards, and opening up market access.
The expo continues until July 10,2026 and it’s expected to help generate trade deals, create investment openings, and support plans that strengthen climate resilience and sustainability across the sector.