Cashew Crucial to Non-Oil Export Ambitions, Says Presidency

The Federal Government of Nigeria has emphatically underscored the critical role of cashew in achieving the nation’s ambitious non-oil export targets, positioning the commodity as a vital pillar for economic diversification away from crude oil dependence. This declaration comes amidst efforts to instill new leadership in the National Cashew Association of Nigeria (NCAN).

Dependable NG reports that Mr. Abiodun Yinusa, the Special Assistant to the President on Agriculture, issued a statement regarding the newly constituted Interim National Committee of NCAN. He described the installation of the new leadership, with the unanimous appointment of Mr. Ademola Adesokan as Interim National President, as a timely and essential move to resolve the constitutional violations and protracted leadership crises that have plagued the association for years.

“NCAN is too important to Nigeria’s non-oil export economy to be left in crisis,” Mr. Yinusa stated, adding that the government is actively working to “sanitize our agricultural institutions, and make sure that it contributes to our economy, without over dependence on oil revenue.”

The Presidential aide lauded Mr. Adesokan, an Executive Member of NCAN, as a credible leader with a proven track record in agribusiness, expressing confidence that the Interim Committee will fully align with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which prioritizes food security, agricultural transformation, and value addition.

In a clear directive, Mr. Yinusa mandated all NCAN state chapters to be immediately reconstructed and to conduct fresh elections within one year, ensuring a return to democratic and transparent operations. He further commended the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (FMAFS) and the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment (FMITI) for their collaborative efforts on the Cashew Policy Roadmap, a framework in which NCAN is expected to play a key partnership role in its implementation.

The Presidency, Mr. Yinusa concluded, stands firmly behind these reforms and expects the new interim leadership to operate transparently, democratically, and in full support of government policy to restore stability and maximize the cashew subsector’s immense economic potential. Cashew is currently ranked as one of the top non-oil export products, recording significant growth in value and offering vast opportunities for employment and wealth creation across the country.