Cosmos Trade Nigeria Limited has announced plans to strengthen Nigeria’s tourism industry by combining food and beverage innovation with hands-on training. Through its new initiative, Gelato and Coffee University, the company aims to attract global attention while empowering local entrepreneurs, especially in the hospitality and culinary sector.
Speaking during a training and exhibition event held in Lagos, the Business Development Manager of Cosmos Trade Nigeria Limited, Mr. Demilola Olaniyi, revealed that the company was recently certified as the 13th Carpigiani Gelato University in the world. He described the development as a major milestone for Nigeria and a potential game changer for Lagos State and the wider tourism industry.
“This is not just about food and drinks. It’s about creating something new for Nigeria—adding gelato and coffee tourism to our existing portfolio. This kind of innovation can attract tourists and create jobs for our people,” Olaniyi said.
Cosmos Trade has set up a fully equipped training facility in Lagos to fill what it describes as a major gap in the food and beverage market. According to Olaniyi, many young Nigerians are interested in joining the industry but lack the proper training or access to standard equipment. The facility now provides practical training for aspiring baristas and gelato chefs at beginner, intermediate, and advanced levels.
He added that the course structure is flexible and affordable, with training sessions running from three days to two weeks. “People travel abroad to learn this. But now, you can learn the same thing here in Nigeria at a lower cost, and with the same level of quality,” he explained.
Interestingly, the university is not just focused on the Nigerian market. Olaniyi noted that the Lagos-based facility is open to participants from other parts of Africa and even the Middle East. “This is a pan-African initiative,” he said. “We are not only building a local community of professionals but also attracting international attention.”
Cosmos Trade Nigeria is well-known in the hospitality sector for supplying high-quality equipment and raw materials for coffee, tea, and gelato production. The company also pioneered the office coffee vending system in Nigeria, providing businesses with machines, consumables, and technical support.
One of the company’s satisfied customers, Mrs. Olivia Okeke, who runs Milk and Honey by Livvy’s Twist café in Lagos, had high praise for the company’s services. “Their after-sales support is excellent,” she said. “We bought our first coffee machine from them last year, and it’s been running smoothly ever since. We just got another one recently.”
Mrs. Okeke also emphasised that while the products are not cheap, they are definitely worth the investment. “They are reliable. I haven’t had one single issue with the machine,” she added.
A student of the Gelato and Coffee University, Mr. Osagie Anthony, shared how the training has helped him and his company, which already operates in the food, juice, and ice cream space. “We’re now expanding into gelato to stand out in the market,” he said. “We’ve learnt everything from ingredient balancing to recipe development and the latest industry tech. It’s been eye-opening.”
Anthony also mentioned that the training includes modules on the business side of food service, preparing participants not just to make gelato, but to sell and profit from it as well.
Looking ahead, Cosmos Trade Nigeria is calling for more partnerships and collaborations with the government, educational institutions, and non-profit organisations to further develop Nigeria’s culinary tourism. Mr. Olaniyi expressed interest in working more closely with the Bank of Industry and other relevant bodies to ensure wider access and greater impact.
“We’ve started working with some government agencies, but more can be done,” he said. “If we get the right support, Nigeria can become a top destination for culinary tourists. Imagine tourists coming to Lagos not just for the beach or nightlife, but to learn how to make world-class gelato and coffee. That’s where we are headed.”
As Nigeria continues to search for alternative sources of income beyond oil, investments in tourism, especially through food and beverage innovation, offer a promising path. With efforts like Cosmos Trade’s Gelato and Coffee University, the future of culinary tourism in Nigeria is starting to take shape—one scoop at a time.
