Nigeria has been positioned to save over ₦3 trillion annually in foreign exchange through the adoption of cassava-based bioethanol blended with Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), as the Federal Government moves to reduce fuel imports and strengthen local agricultural value chains.
The Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Senator Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, made this known at a capacity-building workshop on the Cassava Bioethanol Value Chain Development Project for the South East zone, held in Enugu, Enugu State.
He was represented at the event by the Director of Economic Growth in the ministry, Mr Auwal Mohammed.
Bagudu stated that the planned transition to domestically produced bioethanol has placed agriculture, particularly cassava production, at the heart of Nigeria’s energy and industrial growth strategy.
According to him, the government has begun empowering about 14 million smallholder farmers to participate actively across the cassava bioethanol value chain.
He explained that the initiative aligns with Nigeria’s Bio-Economy Policy, which aims to move beyond basic ethanol production towards a circular economy model that maximises value at every stage of processing.
This includes the use of high-quality cassava stems and starch, the capture of carbon dioxide during fermentation, and the conversion of distillery by-products into animal feed.
The minister noted that the Cassava Bioethanol Value Chain Development Project has been designed to integrate agricultural innovation, private-sector investment, and institutional support through a Triple Helix knowledge-transfer partnership.
This framework is expected to accelerate the deployment of high-yield, disease-resistant cassava varieties while improving farmers’ access to modern technology, markets and finance.
He added that with the proper infrastructure, policy support and investment climate, the bioethanol programme could stimulate rural employment, enhance energy security and create sustainable livelihoods, particularly for smallholder farmers who form the backbone of Nigeria’s cassava sector.
Source: The Nation Online
Image Credit: TVC News
