By Moyofoluwa Ogunyemi and Segun Asokere
The Honourable Minister, Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment (FMITI) Dr. Olajumoke Oduwole calls on Nigerian youths to get involved in local raw materials processing and development to build a formidable industrial sector.
The Minister made this call during the 2025 National Cashew Day/Flag-Off Season, organized by the National Cashew Association of Nigeria (NCAN) themed “Catalyzing Sustainability in Nigeria’s Cashew Industry,” which took place at Welcome Centre Hotels Ltd., Ikeja, Lagos.
The Hon. Minister representative by Mr. Akeredolu Johnson, in a keynote address, underscored the importance of youth involvement in Nigeria’s economy. He noted that engaging youths in raw materials processing and development will not only create jobs for our teaming youths, but will also strengthen the sector by promoting standard of living of the people.
Mr. Akeredolu referenced reports that raw cashew prices had surged beyond N1,725,000 per tonne due to high global demand. He noted that Nigeria ranks as the sixth-largest cashew producer globally and third in Africa, with an annual production of approximately 200,000 to 240,000 metric tonnes, 85% of which is exported.
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He, however, pointed out that Nigeria’s processing capacity remains underutilized, calling for increased involvement and investment in domestic processing to maximize economic benefits.
Delivering a goodwill message on behalf of the Director-General, Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC), Prof. Nnanyelugo Ike-Muonso, an Assistant Director in the Lagos Coordination Office, Mrs. Ebele Nwajuaku noted that the Council is committed to enhancing Nigeria’s cashew industry through value addition and strategic research partnerships.
Emphasizing RMRDC’s dedication to promoting value- addition to local raw materials for industrial use, She highlighted the Council’s efforts to legislate at least 30% value-addition to primary raw materials before export, through a Legislature Bill currently at the National Assembly. The Bill, which will be out for public hearing soon, is designed to strengthen agricultural value-chains, including cashew, amongst other things. “This would ultimately boost the competitiveness of our agro-products and enhance Nigeria’s agro-industrial growth and development”, She added.
In his welcome address, the President of NCAN, Dr. Joseph Ajanaku, expressed appreciation for stakeholders’ efforts in revitalizing the cashew sector. He reiterated the Association’s commitment to advocating for cashew producers and promoting policies that would support industry growth. While acknowledging past challenges, such as product rejections due to poor packaging, he celebrated the industry’s progress in gaining global recognition.
Dr. Ajanaku lamented that despite being a major cashew producer, Nigeria exports most of its raw cashew nuts for processing abroad. He emphasized the urgent need to strengthen local processing capacity, outlining key initiatives of NCAN, including policy advocacy for increased domestic processing, acquisition of improved cashew seedlings, establishment of nursery beds and the creation of domestic export ware-houses. He noted that NCAN has also engaged some development partners to support in setting up cashew nurseries across the country.
“We have a particular variety that is very popular, which is the Ogbomosho variety and we believe that if we are able to spread this across the nation, we will have a uniform produce in Nigeria. We have also decided to engage nursery farms in Nigeria to produce more and increase our production in the country,” he added.
The Special Adviser to the Governor of Lagos State on Agriculture and Food Systems, Dr. Oluwarotimi Fashola, addressed concerns about Nigeria’s declining cashew production due to aging trees. He emphasized the need for research into high-yielding cashew varieties and reaffirmed the commitment of Lagos State to strengthening the cashew value-chain through sustainable agricultural practices. He stressed the importance of balancing environmental protection with increased productivity, stating, He said, “together, we can strengthen the cashew value-chain, enhance production, encourage local processing and ensure that our farmers receive fair returns for their efforts”. He also commended NCAN for its role in job creation and urged the Association to increase its local processing capacity to reduce financial losses from raw cashew exports.
NCAN was further encouraged to collaborate with relevant research institutions such as the Nigerian Institute for Oil Palm Research (NIFOR), RMRDC and other relevant stakeholders to co-create and foster innovative research to enhance technological capabilities and market access for commercially viable products, enhance cashew processing efficiency, improve agricultural productivity and drive sustainable industrial development in the sector.
