FG Validates Roadmap to Revolutionize Nigeria's Cashew Industry

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The Federal Government has validated a roadmap to revolutionize Nigeria's cashew industry, with the goal of transforming it into a globally competitive, value-added industry that will drive industrialization, create jobs, and boost non-oil exports. The roadmap, which was validated at a stakeholders' workshop in Abuja, aims to strengthen the cashew value chain and unlock the sector's economic potential. Nigeria's annual production of between 300,000 and 350,000 metric tonnes of raw cashew nuts presents a huge economic opportunity, but the country continues to lose significant value due to the fact that more than 85% of the produce is exported without processing.

The roadmap targets the sector's biggest pain points, including aging crops, low yield, infrastructure and funding shortages, weak quality control, and idle processing plants. To ensure the roadmap delivers on its objectives, the Federal Government has established a Nigerian Cashew Project Office, which will coordinate implementation alongside the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, the National Cashew Association of Nigeria (NCAN), GIZ, and other stakeholders. The project office will be responsible for measuring progress through increased local processing facilities, higher export earnings, improved farmer incomes, and stronger recognition of Nigerian cashew products in international markets.

Speaking at the workshop, the Minister of State for Industry, Sen. John Owan Enoh, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Chris Osa Isokpunwu, described the roadmap as a strategic intervention to reposition Nigeria's cashew sector through increased processing, investment, and value addition. He noted that moving from raw exports to local processing will not only increase revenue but also create jobs, strengthen farmers' earnings, and enhance Nigeria's competitiveness in the global cashew market.

The Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Sen. Abubakar Kyari, who was represented by the Director of the Federal Department of Agriculture, Mr. Bukar Musa, described the validation as a major milestone towards creating a comprehensive framework for strengthening cashew production, processing, and export competitiveness. The Director of Industrial Development, Mr. Bala Mohammed, urged stakeholders to focus on effective implementation, stressing that the roadmap must remain practical and capable of delivering sustainable industrial growth.

Industry stakeholders, including the Cashew Processors and Allied Products Association of Nigeria (CAPPAN), the National Cashew Association of Nigeria (NCAN), the National Apex of Cashew Farmers, Processors and Marketing Cooperative, and the Nigeria Commodity Exchange (NCX), called for policy consistency, improved financing, stronger quality standards, structured markets, and increased investment in local processing. They agreed that successful implementation of the roadmap would transform the cashew industry into a major contributor to industrialisation, rural development, job creation, export growth, and economic diversification.