The Premium Cassava Products Division (PCPD) of FMN Agro, a key arm of Flour Mills of Nigeria (FMN), has partnered with the Federal Government to mark the 2025 World Cassava Day with a renewed commitment to cassava industrialization, food security, and export growth.
Held at the Banquet Hall of the State House in Abuja, the event brought together critical stakeholders, agribusiness leaders, policymakers, and innovators to celebrate Nigeria’s position as the world’s largest cassava producer. It was organized under the leadership of the Office of the Senior Assistant to the President on Agribusiness and Productivity Enhancement, with the theme “Farm to Global Markets: Driving Industrialization, Food Security and Exports.”
Central to the day’s activities was a Pitch Competition by “Cassava Changemakers” — a showcase of promising innovations across the cassava value chain. The program emphasized key focus areas including cassava industrialization, youth-driven innovation, import substitution, and export competitiveness.
FMN Agro, a business entity of the FMN Group — owners of the iconic Golden Penny brand — played a prominent role in shaping the discourse on unlocking the full potential of Nigeria’s cassava economy. Delegates from FMN contributed expert insights on scaling investment in cassava processing, creating export value, and reducing Nigeria’s dependence on imported raw materials.
Speaking during a panel session on “Strengthening Linkages from Farms to Global Markets,” Mr. Akhanemeh Joseph Osikhena, General Manager of PCPD at FMN Agro, noted:
“Now more than ever, it is imperative to develop the cassava value chain as a viable raw material source for finished products. Our work through PCPD and Golden Agri Inputs Limited (GAIL) aims to transform cassava from a subsistence crop into a fully integrated value chain that drives job creation, innovation, and export revenue.”
He further highlighted FMN Agro’s strategic commitment to local content development, industrial integration, and resilience within regional food systems.
Over the years, FMN has made substantial investments in the cassava value chain, particularly through the PCPD, building capacity in starch production and implementing backward integration programs that support smallholder farmers with inputs, training, and market access.
Mr. Sadiq Usman, FMN Agro Managing Director and Group Director of Partnerships and Strategic Engagements, praised the Federal Government for organizing the event:
“Partnerships like this are essential to unlocking the full value of Nigeria’s agricultural assets. Platforms such as World Cassava Day help drive critical conversations around scale, investment readiness, and export competitiveness — all backed by tangible commitments.”
“Our work through PCPD and GAIL is anchored in FMN’s purpose of ‘Feeding and Enriching Lives, Every Day.’ We remain committed to valuable partnerships that promote this vision,” he added.
About FMN Agro
FMN Agro Ltd, a business entity under FMN Holdings Ltd and Flour Mills of Nigeria (FMN), was created under the company’s Business Vertical model to lead the group’s agricultural inputs and development strategy. It is committed to transforming Nigeria’s agricultural landscape through consistent investments in local content development and food security.
Operating across five core value chains — Grains, Wheat, Edible Oils & Fats, Animal Feeds & Proteins, and Cassava Starch — FMN Agro is deeply embedded in community-based agricultural transformation. Through its outgrower programs, FMN has impacted countless farmers with agronomic training, seed development initiatives, access to finance, and ready markets for their produce.
The company also operates other agricultural entities including Golden Agri Inputs Ltd (GAIL), Golden Fertilizer Ltd, Premium Cassava Products Division (PCPD), and Premier Feed Mills.
