Nigeria’s cashew industry has been identified as a sleeping giant with the potential to generate billions of dollars in revenue, transform rural livelihoods, and position the country as a global leader in value-added exports, if urgent investments are made in processing and policy reforms.
The President of the National Apex of Cashew Farmers, Processors and Marketing Cooperative Ltd., Yunusa Enemali, made the call in a video shared on X, stressing that cashew remains an “emerging commodity” in Nigeria but has lacked a clear development policy unlike cocoa.
He lamented that for decades, the country has focused on exporting raw cashew nuts, thereby losing out on jobs and significant economic opportunities.
“Cashew is the only cash crop that starts with the word ‘cash.’ From the seed to the table, everything about cashew is money. But all we have been doing is exporting the raw nut. By doing that, we are exporting jobs and depriving farmers and processors of real benefits,” Enemali said.
Highlighting its untapped potential, he explained that cashew offers threefold benefits — environmental, economic, and health.
“Cashew has over 40 products. And the most expensive of them all is cashew nut shell liquid. Cashew nut shell liquid is one of the most valuable derivatives, selling between $70 and $90 per litre, while carbon credits trade between $150 and $500,” he noted.
He further pointed out that cashew farming could enable Nigeria to benefit from the carbon credit market “as part of global climate action efforts, while also serving as a ready local market for over 200 million Nigerians without relying on exports.”
Beyond its export potential, Enemali listed several consumer and industrial products derivable from cashew, saying, “Are you aware you have cashew milk, cashew jam, cashew biscuits, cashew brandy, and many more? Yet we keep shipping the raw nuts abroad. This has to change. Enough is enough. Let us begin to take advantage of what we have so that we can change the narrative.”
He revealed that cashew farmers have received little or no support since the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 despite years of heavy investment in rural communities, where most of the crop is produced.
Calling for decisive policy action, Enemali urged the Federal Government to finalize the ongoing cashew development roadmap, which includes establishing a Nigerian Cashew Board to regulate prices, protect farmers, and drive value addition.
“If this roadmap is scaled through and turned into policy, farmers will finally get the incentives and recognition they deserve. Cashew has the potential to transform rural communities and position Nigeria as a global leader in value-added exports,” he said.
