In 2018, the World Cocoa Foundation/African Cocoa Initiative Phase II (WCF/ACI II) advertised the plan to give a grant for the establishment of the third Flavour Quality Laboratory (FQL) in Nigeria or Cameroon. The grant was to support the hosting country (Institution) by supplying the equipment and fund the training and activities of the laboratory for two years, while the host will provide adequate laboratory space. The proposal developed by Dr. Festus Olasupo, on behalf of the Institute, eventually met the requirements of WCF and the FQL was approved for CRIN. The WCF/ACI II played a key role in the establishment of the lab. by purchasing and shipping all the equipment needed to CRIN, while CRIN management also did good job by putting the laboratory space in a perfect shape to meet expected standard.
The laboratory is now well furnished, equipped and a new 30KVA power generator has been procured and dedicated to the FQL to solve the problem of inadequate power supply. To kick-start the laboratory activities, a training program was organized by the WCF/ACI for capacity building of the FQL team and panelists at CRIN. This was conducted from June 21 to July 02, 2021 by the WCF FQL training consultant, Mrs. Dorine Kassi. Stakeholders in Nigeria cocoa industry were also invited to a meeting with WCF/ACI Chief of Party, Dr. Herve Daghela Bisseleua and CRIN Executive Director, Dr. Patrick Adebola, as the chief host during the training. Nigeria FQL at CRIN, Ibadan is now in full operation.