On July 22, 2025, Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi (Minister of State for Agriculture), Dr. Kingsley Uzoma, PhD (SSA to the President on Agribusiness, Office of the Vice President), Prof. Chiedozie Egesi (CEO, NRCRI), and Kabir Shagaya (Director of Strategy, Cavista Holdings) featured on Nigerian Television Authority’s Tuesday Live to discuss “Exploring Nigeria’s Cassava Potential: A Shift from Oil Dependency.”
Together, they examined how cassava can drive industrialization, reduce import dependence, and open new markets for value-added agricultural exports.
Insights from the programme underscored cassava’s potential to generate significant value across industrial and commercial segments, including ethanol, sweeteners, high-quality flour, and starch.
“With the right combination of policy coordination, improved yields, investment in processing infrastructure, and strong private sector participation, cassava can become a significant contributor to inclusive economic growth and rural industrialization in Nigeria.”
This national conversation follows the recent World Cassava Day celebration hosted by the Office of the Vice President, Federal Republic Of Nigeria (Agribusiness & Productivity Enhancement) at the State House Banquet Hall.
The event had brought renewed attention to cassava as a vital sector for Nigeria’s economic diversification agenda.
Concrete steps are already underway to translate this momentum into action through stronger policy alignment, increased private-sector collaboration, and coordinated investments across the value chain.
Watch the session here: https://lnkd.in/dc-d5Gw5
Virtual Participation – Nigeria–EU Cocoa Roundtable
August 11, 2025
