By Atoyebi Nike
The National Cashew Association of Nigeria (NCAN) has opposed renewed calls for restrictions on raw cashew nut exports, warning that such measures would hurt farmers, discourage investment, and contradict government’s agricultural diversification agenda.
In a statement on Wednesday, NCAN President, Dr Joseph Ojo Ajanaku, said farmers remain the backbone of Nigeria’s cashew industry and would be the worst affected if exports were curtailed. He cautioned that any form of ban or disguised restriction would depress farmgate prices and drive millions of smallholder growers into deeper poverty.
“Processors are partners, not adversaries. But industrial growth must be driven by incentives and innovation, not by punishing the very farmers who sustain Nigeria’s cashew economy,” the association noted.
While expressing support for local value addition, NCAN identified the real obstacles to processing as high energy costs, poor infrastructure, and limited access to affordable financing. The group recommended the creation of Special Agro-Processing Loans at single-digit interest rates of 5 per cent or lower to boost competitiveness.
NCAN further warned that an export ban would breach Nigeria’s commitments under the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA), encourage smuggling, and erode investor confidence.
Highlighting its innovation drive, the association unveiled its Farmers Mapper App, a digital tool designed to generate real-time data and improve planning across the cashew value chain.
According to NCAN, the road to industrialisation lies in enabling policies, targeted incentives, and technology-driven solutions, rather than restrictions that could destabilise the sector.
