Vice President Kashim Shettima has said that cassava is no longer just a staple food but now a strategic driver of Nigeria’s industrial development, import substitution, and energy transformation under the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Speaking on Wednesday in Abuja at an event to commemorate the 2025 World Cassava Day, the Vice President said the Tinubu administration has repositioned cassava as “capital for reengineering the nation’s economy,” placing it at the heart of food and energy security, agro-industrialisation, and rural revitalisation efforts.

In a statement issued by Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Communications, Office of the Vice President, Stanley Nkwocha, Shettima said “we are moving from subsidy-heavy programmes to investment-led solutions,” Shettima told a gathering of policymakers, researchers, agribusiness players, and development partners. 

“We are prioritising private capital, research, and coordinated action across government, academia, and development partners to drive mechanisation, agro-processing, quality inputs, and full commercialisation of cassava”, he said.

The theme of this year’s celebration, “Farm to Global Markets: Driving Industrialisation, Food Security and Exports,” provided a fitting platform for Shettima to unveil the Federal Government’s ambitious cassava strategy. 

He urged stakeholders to view cassava not only as a food crop for the vulnerable but as a wealth-creating resource for the bold.

“Cassava is one of the most strategic assets in our agricultural portfolio. Its applications cut across food, feed, fuel, pharmaceuticals, textiles, and even construction,” he said.

Among the flagship initiatives mentioned is the Cassava Bioethanol Project, a government-backed programme expected to save the country over ₦3 trillion annually by reducing Nigeria’s dependence on imported fuel additives.

“This initiative will stimulate a circular economy in agriculture and allow us to harness cassava by-products for energy, fertilisers, and industrial inputs. What used to be waste will become wealth. This is how nations rise”, Shettima explained.

The Vice President stressed the urgency of translating policy into impact, saying, “The world will not remember our intentions. It will remember our results.”

He commended the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) and other global and local stakeholders for their leadership in innovation, particularly in the deployment of the Semi-Autotrophic Hydroponic (SAH) system for rapid cassava seed multiplication.

Highlighting successful bilateral cooperation, Shettima also praised Nigeria’s collaboration with Brazil, describing it as proof that “agricultural ambition, when matched with political will, can transform even the most difficult landscapes.”

The Vice President reserved a strong message for youth inclusion in agribusiness, urging that they be seen not as the future of agriculture but as “the present,” ready to lead and innovate the cassava value chain in the same way they have disrupted fintech and agritech.

Also speaking at the event, the Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Aliyu Abdullahi, reaffirmed the Tinubu administration’s commitment to unlocking the full potential of cassava.

“All stakeholders in Nigeria, Africa, and beyond must work together to transform cassava from a staple crop to a vehicle of industrial and economic transformation,” Abdullahi said.

Echoing similar sentiments, Minister of Innovation, Science, and Technology, Uche Nnaji, stated that cassava holds enormous potential for Nigeria’s industrial future.

“At our Ministry, we are supporting cutting-edge R&D and collaborating with partners to elevate cassava into the cornerstone of Nigeria’s industrial economy,” he said.

The event also featured remarks from Dr Kingsley Uzoma, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Agribusiness and Productivity Enhancement, who described the celebration as part of the Tinubu administration’s vision to place cassava at the forefront of Nigeria’s socio-economic transformation.

“We are expanding rural infrastructure, empowering smallholder farmers, and ensuring they can access finance. The cassava value chain is a strategic entry point to inclusive prosperity,” he noted.

AFREXIM Bank’s Regional COO, Mr Alain-Thierry Mbongue, reinforced the crop’s importance, calling on stakeholders to seize the opportunity to transform Nigeria’s agricultural fortunes.

“Cassava holds the power to catalyse industrial growth, boost job creation, and improve foreign exchange earnings,” Mbongue stated. 

He added that agriculture remains a critical area of investment for the bank, particularly in expanding fertiliser production and agro-industrial capacity.

Goodwill messages were also delivered by Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria, Amb. Yu Dunhai, IFAD’s Country Director, Dede Ekoue, and representatives from Agbayewa Farms and Cavista Holdings, among others.

The 2025 World Cassava Day celebration underscores the Tinubu administration’s broader economic reform drive — one that positions agriculture as both a development engine and a strategic solution to Nigeria’s food, fuel, and foreign exchange challenges.