A coalition of stakeholders under the auspices of the National Cassava Industrialisation Group (NCIG) has endorsed the Cassava Flour Mandatory Inclusion into Flour Production Establishment Bill currently before the National Assembly.
The National Convenor of NCIG, Dr. Tony Bello, disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday, noting that the coalition had submitted a memorandum in support of the bill to the legislature.
The proposed bill seeks to establish a legal and regulatory framework for the mandatory inclusion of cassava flour in edible flour production, in line with the Federal Government’s policy to promote cassava farming, create sustainable markets for cassava and its derivatives, and drive agro-industrial growth.
Bello said the NCIG is working closely with the Industrial Cassava Stakeholders Association of Nigeria (ICSAN), the National Cassava Growers Association (NCGA), and the National Research and Development Partners (NRDP) to advance the bill.
He reaffirmed that the coalition is aligned with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (FMAFS) and the 10th Senate in promoting the cassava flour inclusion initiative.
According to him, the bill aligns with the One Cassava Agenda — a national framework linking farmers, processors, researchers, and policymakers to make cassava the engine of Nigeria’s food and industrial economy.
“Our mandate ensures that Nigeria’s cassava revolution delivers real value from farmers to consumers. By aligning innovation, finance, and policy, we are driving inclusive growth under the One Cassava Agenda,” Bello said.
He explained that the initiative aims to build sustainable raw material networks through farmer clusters and contract farming, develop efficient processing systems, create co-manufacturing hubs, promote technology adoption, and foster market competitiveness through collaboration among investors, policymakers, and private-sector partners.
At the public hearing on the bill, the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Sen. Abubakar Kyari, reaffirmed President Bola Tinubu’s vision for Nigeria to achieve over 50 million tonnes of cassava production annually, positioning cassava as a cornerstone of national food and economic security.
Also speaking, the Chairman, Senate Committee on Agricultural Production, Sen. Saliu Mustapha, described the bill as a strategic policy for food security, import substitution, and industrial development.
