How Nigeria can transform cassava crop from subsistence to industrial driver

As Africa’s most populous nation seeks to diversify its economy away from oil and drive industrialisation, cassava crop has been seen as a promising produce to drive the country’s industrial growth.

With its numerous industrial applications, from food processing to pharmaceuticals, cassava is being touted as a key player in Nigeria’s quest for economic transformation.

This is the consensus of stakeholders who convened at the office of the Vice President 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.

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“Cassava industrialisation is critical to driving inclusive economic growth in Nigeria,” said Olayinka David-West, a professor and dean of Lagos Business School during a panel discussion.

“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,” said David-West who is also the project lead of the Nigeria Cassava Investment Accelerator (NCIA).

Africa’s biggest economy churns out 62.7 million metric tons of cassava tubers in 2023, according to data from the Food and Agricultural Organisation, which accounts for one-fifth of global production, a PwC report said.

This position puts Nigeria in a strong competitive advantage that can be tapped for an astounding economic impact.

Achieving such a prospect is possible if quality issues and technological gaps undermining the value chain potential are addressed.

Kashim Shettima, the Vice President, in his opening address, described cassava as a strategic national asset with cross-sector potential.

“Cassava cuts across food, fuel, pharmaceuticals, and even textiles and construction,” he said, noting that the crop is an opportunity to re-engineer our economy and strengthen livelihoods.

He also highlighted the government’s shift from subsidies to more sustainable, investment-driven approaches.

“We are prioritising private capital, research, and coordinated action to drive mechanisation, processing, and full commercialisation,” Shettima said.

Strategic support for the conference was provided by NCIA, a Lagos Business School-led initiative implemented with the Boston Consulting Group. Flour Mills of Nigeria Plc also supported the event as a corporate sponsor.

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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.

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.