The Chief Innovation and Commercialisation Officer of Matna Foods Ltd., Dr. Tony Bello, has urged stakeholders to prioritise value addition to unlock the full industrial and economic potential of Nigeria’s cassava sector.
Bello made the call in a statement on Saturday to commemorate the 2026 World Cassava Day.
He noted that although Nigeria remains the world’s largest cassava producer, with annual output exceeding 60 million metric tonnes, the achievement is yet to translate into broad-based economic prosperity.
“The future of cassava is not simply more production. The future of cassava is what it is becoming,” he said.
According to Bello, cassava is evolving from a staple food into industrial raw materials, specialty starches, functional ingredients, nutrition products, biomaterials, and renewable energy solutions.
He described cassava industrialisation as a shift from food security to economic security through innovation-driven manufacturing.
Bello cited the investments of Agbeyewa Farms, Matna Foods, and Cavista Holdings as examples of integrated cassava value chain development.
He said Agbeyewa Farms secured feedstock, Matna Foods is expanding processing capacity, while Cavista Holdings provides governance, innovation, and commercialisation support.
Bello emphasised that agriculture, science, engineering, and market development must work together to unlock the crop’s full economic potential.
“The opportunity before Nigeria is much larger than cassava production,” he said.
He added that Nigeria could reduce dependence on imported food ingredients, starches, sweeteners, bakery systems, and packaged foods by developing competitive local alternatives.
Bello identified research, engineering, commercialisation, private investment, and supportive government policies as critical drivers of the sector’s growth.
He also called for stronger integration across seed development, mechanisation, processing, logistics, manufacturing, and export promotion.
According to him, the sector’s success should be measured by the value created, jobs generated, exports expanded, and lives transformed.
Bello said World Cassava Day serves as a reminder that globally competitive industries can be built around Africa’s indigenous resources through science, entrepreneurship, and investment.
He urged stakeholders to collaborate in building a cassava industry that creates jobs, expands exports, and drives sustainable economic growth.
