The Federal Government has committed to promoting Nigeria’s cassava sector to support economic growth, highlighted during a two-day workshop for stakeholders in the cassava bioethanol value chain in the North West.

The workshop, organised by the Federal Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, was held on 11 and 12 February 2026 in Birnin Kebbi, Kebbi State. 

It brought together stakeholders from government, academia, research institutions, and the private sector under a Triple-Helix collaboration framework, with technical support from Bassay Global Tech & Services Limited.

Representing the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Senator Atiku Abubakar Bagudu, the Director of Economic Growth, Mr Auwal Muhammad, described the initiative as a core pillar of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

He stated that the project signalled a strategic shift in Nigeria’s approach to cassava production.

“This workshop is more than a training session. It is a strategic gathering designed to ensure that Nigeria no longer just grows cassava to eat, but grows cassava to power our nation,” he stated.

Nigeria is the world’s largest producer of cassava, yet much of its industrial and commercial potential remains untapped. 

Through the Cassava Bioethanol Value Chain Development Project, the Federal Government is repositioning the crop, often referred to as “white gold”, as a catalyst for industrialisation and energy transition.

The project seeks to promote the blending of bioethanol with Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), a move expected to reduce dependence on imported fuel, conserve foreign exchange, stabilise the naira, and support cleaner, renewable energy alternatives.

This initiative is designed to drive a diversified bio-based economy, reducing Nigeria’s long-standing reliance on crude oil revenues.

According to the ministry, over 14 million cassava farmers are expected to benefit by transitioning from subsistence farming into active participants in an industrial value chain.

Under the National Bio-Economy Policy, the value chain extends beyond ethanol production to include high-quality cassava stems and starch, carbon dioxide capture during fermentation, and animal feed produced from distillery grains.

“This is not just about building factories,” the minister noted. “It is about building a future where Nigeria becomes a global hub for bio-resources.”

Speaking at the workshop, the Director of the Agriculture Division of the Economic Growth Department, Mr Olaifa, described the project as strategically positioned at the intersection of industrialisation, energy transition and rural empowerment.

He emphasised that partnerships with the private sector, particularly with Bassay Global Tech & Services Limited, were critical to translating policy objectives into commercially viable outcomes.

The workshop equips stakeholders with technical skills for high-yield cassava production and efficient processing, strengthens collaboration among aggregators, processors, and off-takers, and reduces post-harvest losses, currently estimated at nearly 40 per cent. 

It also seeks to standardise production processes to meet global ethanol specifications.

In a goodwill message delivered on behalf of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), Honourable Muhammad Magaji, represented by Moh’d Umar Birnin Magaji, commended the Federal Government for prioritising cassava industrialisation.

He described the initiative as a transformative opportunity for farmers, noting that cassava’s value extends beyond food security to renewable energy and economic prosperity.

As the coordinating ministry, the Federal Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring that investments in the project deliver measurable outcomes, particularly in youth employment, rural empowerment, industrial expansion and national food security.

The workshop concluded with a call for stronger synergy among farmers, processors, regulators, researchers, investors and development partners to move from dialogue to tangible industrial output.

“Let us turn the discussions of today into the industrial output of tomorrow,” the ministry urged.

Source: Champion News