By Sanda Yusuf
In a move to transform Nigeria’s agro-processing sector and boost local industrial capacity, the Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC), in partnership with the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) and the Kogi State Ministry of Commerce and Industry, has announced plans to host a high-level Cashew Investment Forum in Kogi State.
The forum, slated to focus on the cashew value chain, aims to reposition Kogi which is one of Nigeria’s leading cashew-producing states, as a hub for value-added processing. The initiative supports ongoing federal and state policy measures geared toward banning the export of unprocessed raw materials and retaining more economic value within Nigeria.
Speaking during a stakeholders’ meeting in Lokoja, Dr. Peter Adegede, RMRDC’s Kogi State Coordinator, revealed that the Council is championing a bill at the National Assembly to enforce a 30% value addition requirement on raw materials like cashew before export. This, he noted, aligns with Kogi State’s anticipated executive order, being promoted by Governor Usman Ododo, mandating a 50% value addition for cashew exports from the state.
Dr. Adegede emphasized the need for Nigeria to follow in the footsteps of countries like India, which have already banned the export of raw cashew nuts to promote domestic processing and job creation.
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He cited the currently dormant cashew processing plant at Kogi State University (KSU) as a missed industrial opportunity, calling for its reactivation. “We are engaging the university’s Vice Chancellor to ensure the plant becomes fully operational,” he said.
He also reiterated the importance of reviving the Osara Cashew Processing Plant, emphasizing the state’s need to develop adequate processing capacity for its own raw cashew production. In addition, Dr. Adegede appealed to the state government to provide land for the establishment of an ultra-modern raw materials resource centre, which would serve as a one-stop showcase of Kogi’s agricultural and mineral resources for both local and international investors.
The forum is expected to:
- Mobilize key stakeholders; including farmers, investors, and government agencies to form processing clusters;
- Address critical challenges such as the non-functional cashew plants at KSU and Osara;
- Sensitize participants on the implications and economic opportunities of the proposed 30% value addition policy.
Welcoming the initiative, Kogi State Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Alh. Mutari Shaibu, pledged the government’s full support. “We are prepared to allocate land within Ajaokuta’s free trade zone for RMRDC’s proposed ultra-modern digital resource center,” he announced, adding that his ministry will collaborate fully in organizing the investment forum.
The Commissioner also confirmed that two representatives will be nominated from the ministry to join a joint planning committee comprising members from RMRDC, NEPC, and the Kogi State Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
He commended RMRDC’s drive for industrialization through agro-processing, stating, “This is how we will industrialize Kogi by turning our agricultural wealth into finished products and export-ready goods.”
