The National Cashew Association of Nigeria (NCAN) has unveiled an ambitious strategy to transform the country’s cashew industry, targeting an increase in national raw cashew nut production from about 300,000 tonnes to one million tonnes over the next decade while ensuring that half of the output is processed locally.
The target, outlined during the inauguration of the association’s national and state chapter executives in Abuja on Tuesday, is expected to deepen industrialisation, boost non-oil exports, attract investment and create thousands of jobs across Nigeria’s cashew-producing states.
Speaking at the event, NCAN National President, Ademola Adesokan, described the initiative as a practical roadmap rather than a mere aspiration, stressing that its success would depend largely on activities at the state level.
According to him, although policies are formulated at the federal level, the real drivers of the cashew value chain, production, aggregation, storage and quality assurance, are rooted in farming communities across the country.
“We have set ambitious targets of growing national production from about 300,000 tonnes to one million tonnes within the next decade, with 50 per cent of that volume processed right here at home. That is not a slogan; it is a roadmap with measurable milestones,” he said.
Adesokan noted that the newly inaugurated state chapters would serve as the operational backbone of the national strategy by ensuring quality control, strengthening aggregation systems and improving traceability throughout the supply chain.
He said improved coordination at the grassroots would enhance confidence among processors and exporters, making Nigerian cashew more competitive in international markets.
“Our processors and exporters can only thrive when they receive consistent, high-quality supplies. That responsibility begins with our state chapters,” he added.
The Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment (FMITI) pledged continued policy support for the industry, describing the inauguration as a critical step toward implementing the recently validated Nigeria Cashew Roadmap.
Delivering the ministry’s goodwill message on behalf of the Director of the Industrial Development Department, Olumuyiwa Jayi-Ade, Assistant Director Popoola Abimbola said the inauguration marked the transition from policy formulation to implementation.
He commended NCAN for its active role in developing and validating the Nigeria Cashew Roadmap, saying the association’s contributions strengthened the framework for a sustainable and globally competitive cashew industry.
Abimbola disclosed that the ministry, working with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, NCAN and development partners, would immediately begin developing implementation strategies and institutional frameworks for the roadmap.
A major component of the implementation plan, he revealed, is the establishment of the Nigerian Cashew Project Office (NCPO) to coordinate reforms, stakeholder collaboration, monitoring and execution of programmes across the value chain.
He said the ministry was committed to expanding domestic processing capacity, promoting value addition, attracting investments, generating employment, increasing farmers’ incomes and positioning Nigeria as a leading exporter of processed cashew products.
The ministry also urged NCAN members to strengthen the association financially through prompt payment of dues to enhance its capacity for advocacy, member services and collaboration with government.
Similarly, the Director of the Commodities and Export Department, Obasi Edozie, described the establishment of state chapters across all cashew-producing states as a major institutional milestone that would improve stakeholder coordination and governance within the industry.
He noted that the cashew sector remains one of Nigeria’s most strategic non-oil export commodities with significant potential to generate foreign exchange, drive rural development, stimulate industrial growth and create employment opportunities.
Edozie reaffirmed the ministry’s commitment to implementing policies that would improve productivity, strengthen quality standards, expand processing capacity and enhance the global competitiveness of Nigerian cashew products.
He also called on stakeholders across the value chain to remain united in promoting traceability, attracting investment and accelerating local processing as Nigeria seeks to capture greater value from its expanding cashew industry.