Nigeria has unveiled a 10-year Cashew Sector Policy Framework (2025–2035), setting targets to increase annual cashew production to one million tonnes and raise domestic processing to 50 per cent by 2035. The roadmap was presented to the international cashew industry at the 2026 African Cashew Alliance (ACA) Annual Cashew Conference in Accra, Ghana. The Federal Government also indicated that it would not impose an outright ban on raw cashew nut (RCN) exports for now, opting instead to strengthen domestic processing through incentives, financing and infrastructure. ALSO READ: Why FG is planning national youth confab — Minister The framework, validated by stakeholders in July 2026, is Nigeria’s first nationally validated policy instrument for the cashew sector. Presenting the framework in Accra, the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment noted the roadmap followed years of consultations with farmers, processors, exporters and industry associations. It said the process began in 2022 when the ministry, the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security and the National Cashew Association of Nigeria (NCAN) began working together to develop a coordinated policy for the sector. The ministry said consultations were subsequently conducted across Nigeria’s 19 cashew-producing states before the framework was validated by stakeholders in July. The roadmap covers the entire cashew value chain, including orchard rehabilitation, improved planting materials, production, processing, financing, infrastructure and access to export markets. On the contentious issue of raw nut exports, the government said stakeholders had expressed reservations about an outright statutory ban. Rather than impose restrictions, the government plans to create an environment in which domestic processors can compete for raw materials through improved financing, incentives and infrastructure. The approach is expected to encourage investment in processing while allowing market forces to determine access to raw cashew nuts. To drive implementation, the Federal Government has established the Nigerian Cashew Project Office (NCPO), following the July validation of the roadmap. The NCPO will coordinate the implementation of the framework across the 19 producing states and translate its targets into programmes, timelines and measurable outcomes. Its governance structure includes a National Steering Committee, a Technical Steering Committee supported by Technical Working Groups, and the Project Office headed by a National Coordinator. The office will coordinate initiatives including the distribution of certified grafted planting materials, access to financing for processors, and monitoring of progress towards the 2035 targets. The NCPO is, however, intended to be a transitional institution. The government plans for its functions to eventually be transferred to a permanent statutory body, the proposed Cashew Development Council of Nigeria. Nigeria currently produces an estimated 300,000 to 350,000 tonnes of cashew annually, with more than 85 per cent of the output exported as raw nuts. The government estimates that the country loses significant value by exporting most of its production without processing, with about $1.3 billion in potential annual kernel export revenue left uncaptured. The domestic processing industry also faces capacity challenges. Of the 25 cashew processing factories built in the country, only about 15 are currently operational, with many operating below capacity. Low farm productivity remains another major constraint. Average yields in Nigeria are estimated at between 250 and 300 kilogrammes per hectare, compared with more than 900 kilogrammes per hectare in Ghana. The framework therefore places emphasis on certified grafted cashew varieties developed by the Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria (CRIN), Ochaja, which officials said could deliver significantly higher yields than the predominantly ungrafted trees currently found in Nigerian orchards. The government said the productivity gains would help Nigeria achieve its one-million-tonne production target without necessarily expanding the area under cultivation. Also, the government cited Côte d’Ivoire’s growth in cashew production, from about 300,000 tonnes to 1.5 million tonnes, alongside increased domestic processing, as an example of the potential impact of coordinated sector policies and investment. President of NCAN, Ademola Adesokan, described the validation of the framework and establishment of the NCPO as a major milestone for Nigeria’s cashew industry. He said the initiatives could help move the sector away from dependence on raw commodity exports towards greater processing, investment and value addition. Adesokan also welcomed the government’s decision not to impose an immediate ban on RCN exports, saying the focus should be on creating the conditions necessary for processors to compete for raw materials. He, however, stressed that the success of the roadmap would ultimately depend on effective implementation, particularly in orchard rehabilitation, access to improved planting materials, financing, infrastructure and market development. With the NCPO now established, stakeholders are expected to focus on implementing the roadmap and building confidence among farmers, processors, exporters and investors as Nigeria works towards its 2035 production and processing targets.