By Salisu Sani-Idris

Stakeholders in the agricultural sector have pledged their commitment to ensure enhanced and sustainable investments in Nigeria’s agricultural sector in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu’s administration.

They spoke on the sidelines of the 2025 World Cassava Day declared open by Vice-President Kashim Shettima, held at the Presidential Villa Abuja.

Shettima said Tinubu’s administration had repositioned cassava production to ensure that it becomes a key driver of industrial development and import substitution in Nigeria.

He stated that the government’s agenda for the sector was hinged on leveraging the crop as capital for reengineering the nation’s economy, strengthening rural livelihoods, and ensuring national food and energy security.

On his part, the Director of Strategy, Cavista Holdings, Mr Kabir Shagaya, spoke on ‘Unlocking Capital for Cassava: Scaling Financial Access for Inclusive Industrialisation.’

Shagaya said the company had made significant investments in driving economic inclusion, job creation and national development in the country.

He revealed that the company had invested over $200 million in investments locally in the last five years and it would invest more funds over the next few years.

“In Ekiti, we have actually committed $150 million to smallholder farmers to help encourage the farming of cassava.

“Our approach is very simple, every investment we make is firmly anchored on this philosophy.

“Agbeyewa Farms as we are seeing today, the 10,000 hectares farms that we acquired in Ekiti, the 5,000 hectares currently under cultivation, using 30 tonnes per hectares.

“We also have another investment in the Financial Technology Company, we have three licenses with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN),” Shagaya said

He thanked  Shettima for his continued support for the company and its projects in Nigeria and abroad.

Also, Olumide Olayomi, Executive Director/Vice President, Government and External Affairs, Cavista Holdings, said the organisation believed in possibilities in its bold investment in Cassava through Agbeyewa Farms.

“What began as an ambitious vision has now taken root as a driving enterprise in Ekiti with about 5,000 hectares currently under cultivation.

“Thousands of jobs created, a vibrant partnership with the Ekiti Government with whom we signed an agreement in 2024 in Dallas to cultivate 100,000 hectares of cassava over the next 10 years,” he added.

Similarly, Mr Seyi Aiyeleso, Managing Director, Agbeyewa Farms, who spoke on ‘Cassava Value Chain in Focus: Strengthening Linkages from Farms to Global Markets’, said the farm focused on cultivation, processing, trading of cassava and its byproducts.

He said the farm was tackling food insecurity, driving economic development and modernising farming in Ekiti and setting a scalable template for Africa.

“In Agbeyewa Farms, we are proud to be at the forefront of Nigeria’s ongoing agricultural transformation.

“Just over four years ago, Agbeyewa Farms began operations in the quiet town of Ekiti, with 102 hectares, a handful of staff and a dream to prove that agriculture in Nigeria can be industrious, investment ready and globally competitive.

“This year, we have over 5,000 hectares under cultivation, 10,000 hectares next year and have signed a landmark 10-year agreement with the Ekiti Government to cultivate 100,000 hectares,” the managing director added. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Bashir Rabe Mani