The Federal Government has said it is committed to transforming Nigeria’s cassava sector into a major industrial and renewable energy driver.
Minister of BudgetandEconomicPlanning, SenatorAbubakarBagudu, stated this at the opening of a two-day capacity building workshop for stakeholders on the cassava bioethanol value chain development project in the North West geo-political zone.
The workshop brought together key stakeholders across the Triple-Helix framework, government, academia/research institutions, and the private sector in collaboration with technical partner Bassay Global Tech & Services Limited.
The Minister who was represented by the Director of Economic Growth, Mr. Auwal Muhammad, described the initiative as a strategic pillar of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda. “This workshop is more than a training session,” he stated. “It is a strategic gathering designed to ensure that Nigeria no longer just grows cassava to eat, but grows cassava to power our nation.”
He said Nigeria remains the world’s largest producer of cassava, yet much of its potential has remained untapped. He noted that the Cassava Bioethanol Value Chain Development Project seeks to reposition cassava, often referred to as “white gold”, as a catalyst for industrialisation and energy transition.
A statement from the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning signed by the Director, Information and Public Relations, Mrs Julie Osagie Jacobs, said by blending bioethanol with Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), the initiative is aimed at reducing reliance on imported fuel, saving trillions of Naira in foreign exchange, stabilising the Naira, promoting cleaner, renewable energy alternatives, and building a diversified, bio-based economy beyond oil dependency.
The Minister emphasized that the initiative targets over 14 million smallholder farmers, enabling them to transition from subsistence farming into active participants in an industrial value chain.
He said under the National Bio-Economy Policy, the Ministry is promoting a circular economy approach that goes beyond ethanol production. “The value chain includes high-quality cassava stems and starch, carbon dioxide capture during fermentation, and animal feed derived from distillery grains”, he said.
“This is not just about building factories. It is about building a future where Nigeria becomes a global hub for bio-resources.”
The Director Agriculture Division of the Economic Growth Department, Mr. Olaifa, described the project as a strategic initiative positioned at the intersection of industrialisation, energy transition, and rural empowerment. He acknowledged the vital role of private sector collaboration, particularly with Bassay Global Tech & Services Limited, stressing that such partnerships were essential for translating policy into commercial and industrial success.
As the coordinating Ministry, he promised that the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning will ensure that every Naira invested in the project translates into measurable returns, particularly in youth employment, rural empowerment, industrial expansion, and national food security.
In a goodwill message, the National President of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), Muhammad Magaji, commended the Federal Government for prioritizing cassava industrialisation.
Represented by Moh’d Umar Birnin, the association described the initiative as a transformative opportunity for farmers, noting that cassava’s potential extends beyond food security to renewable energy production and economic prosperity.
Agriculture, he emphasized, remains a cornerstone of Nigeria’s economy, and initiatives such as the Cassava Bioethanol Value Chain Development Project provide farmers with a pathway to greater value addition, income growth, and long-term sustainability.
The workshop is meant to equip stakeholders with technical competencies for high-yield cassava production and efficient processing, foster collaboration between aggregators, processors, and off-takers to reduce post-harvest losses, currently estimated at nearly 40 per cent, standardise production processes to meet global ethanol specifications for fuel and industrial applications.