Over 200 stakeholders from across Nigeria’s agricultural and investment sectors convened at the office of the Vice President of Nigeria, Kashim Shetima, to mark World Cassava Day 2025.
The event, themed “Farm to Global Markets: Driving Industrialisation, Food Security and Exports,” brought national attention to cassava’s untapped economic potential.
The forum was held by Cavista Holdings in collaboration with the Office of the Vice President and the Project Management Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President of Nigeria on Agribusiness and Productivity Enhancement, Dr. Kingsley Uzoma.
Strategic support was provided by the Nigeria Cassava Investment Accelerator (NCIA), a Lagos Business School-led initiative implemented with the Boston Consulting Group, with additional support from Flour Mills of Nigeria Plc.
During the programme, government officials, financiers, agribusiness leaders, and development partners explored one of the sector’s most pressing challenges—how to scale cassava industrialisation in a way that benefits smallholders and attracts private capital.
Speakers stressed the importance of linking farm productivity with modern processing infrastructure and long-term finance. They highlighted the need for policy reforms that enable the growth of high-value cassava derivatives, including sweeteners, high-quality cassava flour, starch, and bioethanol.
In his opening address, Vice President Shettima described cassava as a strategic national asset with cross-sector potential, highlighting the government’s shift from subsidies to more sustainable, investment-driven approaches.
His words, “It’s an opportunity to re-engineer our economy and strengthen livelihoods. Cassava cuts across food, fuel, pharmaceuticals, and even textiles and construction.
“We are prioritising private capital, research, and coordinated action to drive mechanisation, processing, and full commercialization.”
Highlight of the occasion was a panel discussion on unlocking capital for cassava industrialisation, moderated by Dean of Lagos Business School and NCIA project lead, Professor Olayinka David-West
The panel featured senior executives from Sterling Bank, NIRSAL Plc, Bank of Agriculture, and Cavista Holdings. Each brought perspectives on financing models, policy gaps, and the conditions needed to move cassava from subsistence to scale.
“Cassava industrialisation is critical to driving inclusive economic growth in Nigeria,” said Prof David-West. “But it cannot happen in isolation. It requires deliberate collaboration, de-risked and patient capital, and policies that connect smallholder productivity to large-scale processing and market offtake.”
At the heart of NCIA’s mission is a bold vision: to transform cassava from a subsistence crop into a driver of industrial growth and inclusive economic development. The initiative aims to unlock over $800 million in economic value by improving access to investment, strengthening supply chains, and supporting enabling policies.
Operating since 2024, the Nigeria Cassava Investment Accelerator (NCIA) is helping reposition Nigeria not just as the world’s largest cassava producer but as a future leader in cassava-based manufacturing. The initiative focuses on investment facilitation, industrial pathway development, supply chain strengthening, capacity building, and policy advocacy.
