Executive Secretary of the National Agricultural Land Development Authority (NALDA), Cornelius Adebayo has expressed concern that while Nigeria produces roughly 65 million metric tonnes of cassava every year, its contribution to the global cassava market, worth about 3.65 billion dollars, is barely one million dollars.
He described this as an imbalance that must be corrected through large-scale production and value addition.
Adebayo made the remark in Abuja during the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the agency and Agbeyewa Farms.
The agreement establishes a joint venture for cassava cultivation and the management of the Renewed Hope Mega Farm Estate located in Irele, Ekiti State.
He explained that the collaboration is part of efforts to advance President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda for agricultural development and rural prosperity.
The goal, he said, is to boost local production, strengthen food security, and increase Nigeria’s participation in the global cassava value chain.
Adebayo said his decision to prioritise cassava followed a visit to Agbeyewa Farms in Ekiti, where he was impressed by the scale and efficiency of operations. Under the new arrangement, NALDA will clear 5,000 hectares of land to enable the company to expand its current 3,000-hectare cassava plantation. Similar initiatives will also take place in Delta and Kwara States.
He emphasised that the government’s role is to create the right conditions for private investment rather than run commercial farms.
Agbeyewa Farms, he added, has demonstrated competence in large-scale cassava cultivation and will serve as the anchor operator for the Ekiti Mega Farm Estate.
To make the project sustainable, Agbeyewa will repay the cost of land clearing over time at a reduced rate.
The initiative will promote estate-style farming and in-grower schemes that can create jobs, enhance productivity, and make cassava farming more profitable.
Adebayo noted that NALDA is also engaging private investors to drive processing of cassava into high-value products such as starch, sorbitol, and flour.
He revealed that six foreign companies had recently expressed interest in investing in Nigeria’s agricultural sector, a development he attributed to renewed confidence in the economy.
Managing Director of Agbeyewa Farms, Oscar Seyi Ayeleso, praised NALDA for its support and reaffirmed the company’s commitment to national food security.
According to him, Agbeyewa began operations three years ago with 3,000 hectares of cassava and plans to expand to 5,000 hectares within the year.
The company has already created over 2,300 jobs, including 444 managerial positions, and has engaged youth corps members as trainees on attractive salaries.
Ayeleso said the farm achieved yields of 35 tonnes per hectare last year and aims to reach 40 tonnes per hectare in the current cycle. He noted that cassava farming has become a major source of wealth creation in rural communities, with every hectare capable of making a farmer financially independent.
He added that Agbeyewa supplies major cassava processors, including Nestlé and SQC, and remains committed to promoting mechanised agriculture, agro-processing, and youth empowerment.
