Strategic Imperatives for Investors, Entrepreneurs, and Policymakers

At the National Cassava Conference, recently held in Abuja, a panel discussion coordinated by the Nigeria Cassava Investment Accelerator (NCIA) brought together experts, agri-entrepreneurs, and investors to discuss the future of cassava industrialisation in Nigeria.

Speaking at the session, Engr. Adolphus Ojobo, a business development consultant, shared insights on how to unlock the industrial potential of Nigeria’s cassava sector.

He drew from vast experience in the agri-processing across Edo and Delta States to outline opportunities for investment and collaboration among stakeholders.

This article highlights the key takeaways for investors, entrepreneurs, and policymakers.

Why Cassava? Why Now?

Nigeria produces more cassava than any country in the world. However, without a robust processing and value-adding ecosystem, the sector’s true economic potential remains underdeveloped.

Past processing projects often struggled, not due to weak ideas, but because of limited access to finance, infrastructure gaps, and unclear stakeholder roles. Now is the time to correct the course through smarter partnerships, stronger institutions, and sustained investment.

For Investors: A Sector Poised for Growth

Cassava industrialisation extends beyond food production. Its value chains are diverse, encompassing bioethanol, industrial starch, and animal feed production.

With up to 75% of project costs tied to equipment procurement and installation, investors have a clear entry point for investments that drive both returns and impact. The time to invest is now.

 Investment Opportunities Include:

• Cassava starch processing plants (greenfield or expansion)
• Equipment leasing, installation, and technical support
• SME-led hubs within Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones (SAPZs)
• Joint ventures with land-owning communities or cooperatives

For Entrepreneurs: Scale with Strategy

The journey of Psaltry International Ltd in Oyo State offers a playbook for success: strategic partnerships, farmer inclusion, and the location of processing plants near raw material sources. The key is to reduce risk and increase value capture.

Entrepreneurial Strategies:

• Collaborate with cooperatives and governments to secure land and inputs
• Get into joint ventures to expand technical and financial capacity
• Use public-private partnerships (PPP) to access infrastructure and funding
• Build vertically integrated operations close to cassava-producing areas

Inclusive business models can drive both profits and impact, especially in rural communities.

For Policymakers: Create an Enabling Environment

Industrialising cassava at scale will require policy clarity, institutional backing, and effective sector governance. Nigeria has the blueprints, it is time to execute.

Key Policy Recommendations:

• Prioritise PPP-driven SME cassava projects for wider reach and replicability
• Mandate banks to invest a percentage of profits into agri-SME joint ventures
• Maximise SAPZs to create regional cassava processing clusters
• Deploy Business Development Service Providers (BDSPs) to support entrepreneurs with technical and managerial expertise

For policies to move from paper to practice, we need disciplined implementation, coordinated action, and sustained commitment from all stakeholders.

A National Model for Cassava Industrialisation

A national model inspired by regional success stories could catalyse rapid growth in the sector. The vision of the model includes:

• Establishing 10-15 SME cassava processing plants over a 2-3 year period.
• Having strong backwards linkages with local farms through cooperatives.
• Encouraging local community ownership, supported by state-level facilitation.
• Fostering partnerships with equipment manufacturers for supply and training.
• Supporting projects through technical visits and professional advisory services.

This model offers a blueprint for inclusive, scalable, and profitable cassava industrialisation.

Conclusion: Turning Potential into Progress

The cassava sector in Nigeria holds the potential to transform rural economies, strengthen national food security, and position Nigeria as a global leader in value-added cassava products. Achieving this vision requires coordination across the different stakeholder groups.

For Investors:

Deploy catalytic capital into a high-growth, underfinanced sector with strong social impact.

For Entrepreneurs:

Collaborate, innovate, and scale through inclusive and sustainable business models.

For Policymakers:

Translate policies into action through coordination, incentives, and robust governance.

The future of cassava industrialisation in Nigeria is not a distant goal, it is an opportunity ready to be realised. Let us move forward with purpose, partnership, and commitment.

For partnership enquiries or to get involved with NCIA initiatives, contact us at ncia@lbs.edu.ng