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By Daniel Adaji
The Federal Government has raised concerns over the dominance of foreigners in Nigeria’s cashew sector, saying they profit far more than local farmers who cultivate the crop.
The Federal Director of Cooperatives, Idris Sani, made this known on Wednesday in Abuja at a world press conference organised by the National Apex Cashew Farmers, Processors and Marketing Cooperative Ltd.
“I once attended a programme in Lagos, and to my surprise, the discussion was dominated by Indians and Lebanese people. They make more money than our local producers. Why should foreigners be benefitting more from what our farmers grow?” Sani said.
He stressed the importance of farmer cooperatives as a key step toward changing this trend.
“An individual farmer who is a smallholder cannot do it alone. But when they come together and register as a cooperative body, they have the advantage of being recognised and supported by government and international partners,” he added.
Sani noted that cashew is a valuable economic crop with multiple benefits to both farmers and the nation. He said registering farmers into cooperatives across all producing states would ensure they receive targeted support, including access to finance, technical input, and capacity building.
“This registration of cashew farmers is timely and critical. It will greatly boost production, processing, and marketing in the country,” he said, noting that small contributions by cooperative members can pool into substantial capital.
According to Sani, cashew processing, packaging, and value addition would also create employment, drive rural development, and boost foreign exchange earnings.
“This is the time to support these producers so they can produce at maximum capacity,” he said.
President of the National Apex Cashew Cooperative, Yunusa Gabriel Enemali, described the cashew sector as a “diamond from the tree”, adding that the crop can power Nigeria’s economic diversification agenda.
“Our vision is to make Nigeria a leading cashew-producing and -processing nation, enhancing economic growth and farmers’ livelihoods,” Enemali said.
He noted that despite Nigeria being among the top global cashew producers, the industry is still struggling with poor infrastructure, limited access to markets, lack of finance, and weak policy support.
“The cashew sector in Nigeria has tremendous potential, especially in the rural communities. But we face challenges like inadequate infrastructure, pest and disease management, and lack of quality research institutes and standardisation. Cashew is the fourth largest earner for Nigeria in the last five to six years,” he said.
Highlighting the inclusiveness of the sector, Enemali added, “Ninety percent of the workforce in the cashew sector are women and youth – on the farm, in factories, and beyond.”
He announced the First National Cashew Cooperative Summit scheduled for August 13–15, 2025, which will bring together stakeholders from all 36 states and the FCT to discuss the future of the industry, validate a national cashew policy, and explore financing and value chain development opportunities. The summit is themed “The Importance of Cashew Crop in the Nation’s Economy”.
In his remarks, the Managing Director/CEO of the Cooperative Financing Agency, Emmanuel Attama, pledged financial and institutional support to cashew farmers through a cooperative-driven strategy.
“Those involved in cashew farming and suffering losses will now be empowered. The cooperative development fund is already in place, and the cashew farmers’ apex body is part of it,” Attama said.
“This will give them access to refined products, markets, finance, and essential services like health care, pensions, and housing,” he added.
Attama also stressed the need to aggregate smallholder farmers to scale up production for both local consumption and export.
“The entire cooperative movement in Nigeria is solidly behind the cashew efforts. “Cashew should be developed as a major enterprise and a way to put food on the table for ordinary Nigerians,” he said.
According to research, Nigeria produces between 250,000 and 300,000 metric tonnes of raw cashew nuts annually, with major production in Kogi, Oyo, and Enugu states. Despite this strong output, most of the nuts are exported raw to countries like Vietnam and India, where they are processed and sold at higher value.
To reverse this trend, the Apex Cashew Cooperative is advocating for at least 40% of Nigeria’s cashew to be processed locally before export – a move they say will boost farmer incomes and strengthen the country’s foreign exchange earnings.