The Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria (CRIN) was established in Ibadan, Oyo State on 1st December, 1964 as a successor autonomous research organisation to the Nigerian Substation of the defunct West African Cocoa Research Institute (WACRI) (Nigeria Statute, Act No. 6 of 1950) following the establishment in 1964 of the headquarters of the said WACRI at Tafo, Ghana with responsibility to conduct research to facilitate improved production of disease free or disease-resistant cocoa. By virtue of the Nigerian Research Institutes Act No. 33 of 1964, the scope of CRIN was expanded beyond that of WACRI to include research on kola and coffee in addition to cocoa.

In 1975, by the Agricultural Research Institutes (Establishments etc.), the scope of CRIN research activities was further enlarged to include cashew and tea. Consequently, CRIN today has mandate to conduct research on five crops, namely; Cocoa, Kola, Coffee, Cashew and Tea throughout the country.