The National Cashew Association of Nigeria (NCAN) has launched a 10-year strategic roadmap to scale up the country`s raw cashew nut production from 300,000 tonnes to one million tonnes, with a mandate to process 50 per cent of the total yield domestically.

The initiative was announced during the inauguration of the association’s national and state chapter executives in Abuja. The strategy aims to accelerate industrialisation, increase non-oil export earnings, attract foreign direct investments, and create thousands of jobs across cashew-producing states.

Speaking at the event, THENEWSCREDIT gathered NCAN National President, Ademola Adesokan, emphasized that the target is a practical roadmap with measurable milestones rather than a mere aspiration. He stated that while policies originate at the federal level, the core drivers of the value chain—production, aggregation, storage, and quality assurance—rest within the farming communities.

Adesokan explained that the newly formed state chapters will serve as the operational backbone of the strategy, ensuring strict quality control and enhanced supply chain traceability. This grassroots coordination is expected to build confidence among processors and exporters, making Nigerian cashew highly competitive on the global stage.

THENEWSCREDIT reports that the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment (FMITI) pledged its full policy backing for the initiative, describing the inauguration as the official transition from policy formulation to direct execution.

Delivering the ministry’s goodwill message on behalf of the Director of the Industrial Development Department, Olumuyiwa Jayi-Ade, Assistant Director Popoola Abimbola commended NCAN’s collaborative role in validating the Nigeria Cashew Roadmap.

To ensure seamless execution, Abimbola revealed that the ministry, in partnership with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, NCAN, and development partners, will establish the Nigerian Cashew Project Office (NCPO). The new office will handle stakeholder collaboration, monitor execution frameworks, and drive reforms across the value chain.

FMITI also encouraged NCAN members to ensure the financial sustainability of the association through the prompt payment of dues to strengthen its capacity for policy advocacy.

Highlighting the economic importance of the sector, the Director of the Commodities and Export Department, Obasi Edozie, described the expansion of state chapters as a major institutional milestone for industry governance.

Edozie reaffirmed that cashew remains one of Nigeria’s most strategic non-oil commodities capable of generating vital foreign exchange, driving rural development, and stimulating industrial growth. He urged all value chain stakeholders to stay united in enforcing global quality standards, improving traceability, and expanding local processing capacities to capture maximum value from the sector.