The federal government has established that when fully harnessed, Nigeria has the power and enablement to generate as much as $18 billion from the export of its estimated 45 million metric tonnes of cassava products every year.
The Minister of Industries, Trade and Investment, Mr Niyi Adebayo, made this known when he received the Chief Executive Officer of BKG Exhibitions, Mr Ifeanyichukwu Agwu, weekend noted that the country had not fully taken advantage of the much-sought-after commodity.
The minister lamented that though a world leader in cassava production, Nigeria is currently not an active player in the cassava trade in the international market, explaining that with the right collaborations, the situation would improve markedly.
He said: “Cassava and oil palm are strategic commodities in our quest for growth and development of the non-oil sector of our economy. Available statistics point to the fact that Nigeria is a leading producer of cassava with a production capacity of 45 million metric tonnes per annum, estimated at $18 billion.
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