Nigeria, the world’s largest cassava producer with over 60 million metric tons annually, is pushing the crop into industrial use, but major obstacles still slow progress.
Companies like Dufil Prima Foods, Flour Mills of Nigeria, and Psaltry International are investing heavily, with the latter opening Africa’s first cassava-based sorbitol plant in Oyo State. Despite this, Nigeria captures just 2% of the $180 billion global cassava market.
Main Challenges
Poor logistics: Bulky, perishable roots and bad roads lead to high spoilage.
High energy costs: Processors depend on diesel due to unreliable power.
Low capacity use: Factories run below potential because of irregular supply.
Financing gaps: Cassava’s long growth cycle clashes with short-term loans.
Emerging Solutions
Improved farming techniques are boosting yields, while mobile processing units and digital supply platforms are reducing losses and stabilizing supply. Hybrid sourcing models, combining commercial farms with smallholder outgrowers, are also gaining ground.
Outlook
Analysts say cassava could unlock $6 billion in value across food, pharma, and energy if Nigeria tackles infrastructure and financing bottlenecks. Once seen as a subsistence crop, cassava is now viewed as a strategic industrial resource with the potential to power Nigeria’s agro-industrial future.