By Uchenna Ezeadigwe
Key stakeholders across Nigeria’s cashew value chain have convened for the Nigeria Cashew Roadmap Validation Meeting, taking place from July 15–16, 2026, to finalize a national strategy aimed at transforming the country’s cashew industry into a globally competitive, billion-dollar sector.
In a Statement signed and made available by NCAN’s Public Relations officer, Hon. Stephen Ahiaba, said, the two-day meeting brings together farmers, processors, exporters, traders, researchers, government agencies, and development partners to review and build consensus on the proposed National Cashew Roadmap ahead of its formal adoption.
In his remark, the National Cashew Association of Nigeria (NCAN) Chief Ademola Adesokan, said the validation of the Nigerian Cashew Roadmap is essential, describing the moment as long overdue but critical to the country’s economic future.
“Nigeria is home to some of the finest cashews in the world, yet for a decade we have watched competitors like Côte d’Ivoire, Cambodia, and Vietnam build the processing industries that should have been ours,”
“We cannot recover the years we’ve lost. But we have roughly five years to compete for the value still on the table and this roadmap is how we intend to do it.”
Also in his address, the Permanent Secretary, Dr. Chris Osa Isokpunwu, disclosed that the cashew production and validation exercise is a strategic initiative aimed at boosting agricultural productivity, enhancing the quality and traceability of cashew production, and strengthening the state’s economy. He noted that the exercise would not only increase farmers’ access to local and international markets but also create employment opportunities, attract investment into the agricultural sector, and improve the livelihoods of farming communities.
Dr. Isokpunwu reaffirmed the Ministry’s commitment to supporting the initiative through sustained collaboration with relevant stakeholders, emphasizing that continuous government support is essential to ensuring the long-term growth and sustainability of the cashew value chain.
The roadmap sets out a policy and strategy framework for 2026–2035, aimed at strengthening domestic processing, improving farmer incomes, and positioning Nigeria competitively in the global cashew trade.
NCAN however, commended the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment and the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security for convening today’s workshop, and called on all value chain actors farmers, aggregators, processors, and exporters to support the roadmap’s implementation.
The roadmap is designed to drive sustainable growth by promoting value addition, expanding local processing, boosting export earnings, creating jobs, and enhancing the competitiveness of Nigeria’s cashew industry. Central to the strategy is reducing reliance on raw cashew exports in favour of a stronger agro-industrial value chain that delivers greater economic returns while protecting the interests of farmers and local processors.
The validation exercise follows resolutions reached at the 2026 Annual General Meeting of the National Cashew Association of Nigeria (NCAN), where members agreed that all segments of the value chain should participate in the review before the roadmap is adopted.
NCAN has stressed that the document must reflect the interests of the entire industry and advocated a transparent review process coordinated by a Technical Working Group comprising representatives of the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, and the association.
Discussions are expected to focus on strengthening local processing, improving trade policies, expanding stakeholder participation, and increasing productivity through the use of improved hybrid cashew seedlings.
NCAN also clarified that the roadmap does not support the introduction of genetically modified organisms (GMOs), but instead promotes improved hybrid varieties developed by Nigerian research institutions.
Participants are also expected to review plans for the production and distribution of 500 million improved cashew seedlings in 2026 under an initiative championed by the Office of the Vice President, with Kogi State targeting the distribution of five million seedlings this year.
Jointly organised by NCAN and the African Cashew Alliance (ACA), the validation meeting builds on the momentum of the 4th Nigeria Cashew Day and the 2026 NCAN AGM, themed “Unlocking the Full Potential of Nigeria’s Cashew Industry through Investment, Innovation and Global Trade.”
Stakeholders say successful implementation of the roadmap will strengthen Nigeria’s position in the global cashew market while supporting agro-industrialisation, economic diversification, increased non-oil exports, and sustainable rural development.
