The federal government on Wednesday, February 25, reaffirmed its commitment to developing Nigeria’s cassava bioethanol value chain as part of efforts to drive industrial expansion and economic stability.
Minister of budget and economic planning, Atiku Bagudu, made this known in Abeokuta during a capacity-building workshop for stakeholders on the Cassava bioethanol value chain development project in the South-West zone.
He said the workshop aligns with president Bola Tinubu’s renewed hope agenda, which seeks to transform Nigeria’s agricultural strengths into industrial and economic gains.
Represented by the director of economic growth, Auwal Mohammed, the minister explained that the initiative is designed to move Nigeria beyond producing cassava solely for food consumption toward large-scale industrial and energy applications.
Despite being the world’s largest cassava producer, he noted that Nigeria has not fully harnessed the crop’s economic potential.
“As the world transitions towards a greener and more sustainable economy, bioethanol presents a significant opportunity for Nigeria,” he said.
Bagudu added that blending bioethanol with Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) could reduce dependence on fuel imports and save billions of naira in foreign exchange.
He noted that the initiative would stimulate a bio-based economy, strengthen the naira, and integrate millions of smallholder farmers into an expanded industrial value chain.
According to him, the project is consistent with Nigeria’s National Bio-Economy Policy, which promotes a circular economy approach that maximizes the full cassava value chain.
In 2023, the federal government began sensitizing stakeholders in the North-West on implementing the Cassava Bioethanol Value Chain Project.
The campaign was inaugurated in Kano by Nebolisa Anako, permanent secretary at the federal ministry of finance, budget, and national planning, and was represented by Muhammad Kabir, director of finance and accounts.
At the time, the ministry said the programme aimed to foster sustainable growth, job creation, poverty reduction, and improved access to food and energy through a bio-based economy.
Bagudu emphasized that the initiative goes beyond ethanol production.
It also seeks to unlock value from high-quality starch, carbon dioxide captured during fermentation, and animal feed derived from distillery grains.
He encouraged stakeholders to leverage the workshop to gain technical expertise in high-yield cassava cultivation and efficient processing methods.
“As the ministry of budget and economic planning, we are committed to ensuring that every naira invested in this project translates into jobs for our youth and enhanced food security for our families. We are not just building factories; we are building a future where Nigeria becomes a global hub for bio-resources,” he said.
In his presentation, Olumuyiwa Jayeoba, President of the Association of Deans of Agriculture in Nigerian Universities (ADAN), spoke on “Nigeria’s Bio-Economy Framework and Cassava Bioethanol.”
He described the bio-economy as the sustainable use of renewable biological resources, scientific knowledge, and innovation to produce goods, services, and energy.
“The bio-economy has the capacity to lift many people out of poverty and improve energy and food security,” he said.
In January, a report by the World Bank found that cassava, rice, maize, and wheat account for 45% of total calorie consumption across Africa.
The report warned that heavy reliance on a limited number of staple crops exposes the continent to supply disruptions, rising food prices, and climate-related shocks.
According to the World Bank, while these four staples dominate Africa’s diet, a large portion is imported from Europe, South Asia, and other regions.
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