I would like to use this medium to introduce
Highland Tea to some of us who are not
acquainted with the Highland Tea brand. This
rich and quality product is proudly made in
Nigeria, precisely in the famous Mambilla
plateau of Taraba State North East Nigeria that I
govern.

Research has shown that Kenya, is the leading tea producer in Africa, with an expanse of land that covers more than 110,000 hectares dedicated solely to
tea production.

This alone accounts for 17-20 percent of that country’s total export revenue, placing it as one of its
primary foreign exchange earners.
In 2012, the tea industry brought US$1.27 billion
US dollars into the country, which underscores
Kenya’s position as the largest exporter of black
tea in Africa and third largest in the world with
Egypt, Pakistan and the United Kingdom as its
primary buyers.


Unlike Kenya, the Nigerian population places it
amongst the biggest markets in the world with
only a few notable tea brands in the country.
These brands have limited competition and offer
a limited variety of products to the most
populous black nation on earth. To put it simply,
tea production and consumption is a virgin area
in the Nigerian beverage market, and that has
drawn the attention of my Rescue team and me.
Imperatively, the success of Kenya’s tea
production has motivated us to explore avenues
to reposition our dear Nation as one of the
leading tea producers in the world.

Thus upon the assumption of duty, we equipped
the Mambilla beverages company-producers of
Highland Tea- in the areas of power supply, up to
date machinery as well as offshore staff training.
Precisely, on the 13th of August last year, I
commissioned a 400kw Hydro Power Plant
project to help provide 24hours electricity to the
Highland Tea factory and its surrounding
community of over 10,000 people, a project
which I started when I was Minister of State for
Power.

The resultant effect was unprecedented, and for
the first time in 18years the Mambilla beverages
company has been able to declare a profit. To
further optimize profitability, on the 13th of
March 2016, we commissioned an Ultramodern
Cut Tear & Curl (CTC) Machine, which is designed
to enhance design and packaging of the Highland
Tea.
This in turn, is aimed at upgrading the product
quality to international standard so as to ensure
that it can compete favorably with other tea
brands both locally and internationally.
Therefore, we encourage each of you to
patronize the highland tea as you would always
be sure of quality and the full richness of tea.
As an ardent proponent of the local content
development, I urge all citizens (both home and
abroad) and indeed all residents and visitors of
Nigeria to support our goals and aspiration by
the continuous patronage of the Highland tea.
I also firmly believe that this is the best time in
our nation’s history to support locally
manufactured products, as this would help in
strengthening the economy, improve the
country’s balance of trade position and most
importantly strengthen the naira.

Furthermore, the Mambilla beverages company
has a staff strength of about 500 people. Thus,
each time you buy Highland Tea you are
contributing to providing a sustainable income to
our local farmers with over 6000 farms lands
located on the Mambilla Plateau.
Finally, I want to reassure you of quality as you
patronize this proudly Nigerian product.
Be rest assure that my rescue team and I will not
disappoint you, even as we remain committed to
our vision of positioning Taraba State as the
leading economy within the North East Region in
the next 10years.

Source: Naija per Minute