Feasibility Report on Cassava Tuber Cultivation and Cassava Flour Production in Nigeria

Cassava, botanically known as Manihot esculenta, is a tropical root crop whose hardy tubers serve as a cornerstone of food security and agribusiness opportunities in Nigeria. Cultivation of cassava tubers is widespread across the country’s southern and central agricultural belts, with states such as Oyo, Ogun, Kogi, Benue, and Delta cultivating the crop year‑round due to its tolerance of diverse soil types and climatic conditions. This robustness makes cassava a resilient cash crop that thrives even in marginal soils where other staples fail, providing a reliable income source for an estimated 14 million smallholder farming households.

The feasibility of scaling cassava production is rooted in its high biomass yield potential and the fact that it does not compete directly with premium land uses, allowing it to occupy roughly 30 % of Nigeria’s cultivated land area. Despite this large acreage and the country’s historic status as the world’s largest producer of cassava, national yields remain lower than global benchmarks due to limited access to improved stems, modern agronomic practices, and mechanized inputs.

Nevertheless, pilot projects combining farmer outgrower schemes and commercial production models demonstrate that yields can significantly increase when farmers have access to quality planting materials and extension support, laying the groundwork for expanded cultivation and value chain development.

The primary processed product of cassava tubers is cassava flour, a finely milled derivative of the root that offers unique functional and nutritional advantages. Cassava flour production begins with fresh cassava roots being peeled, washed, and grated, with the resulting mash dried and milled into powder. Cassava flour is gluten‑free, high in dietary fiber, and versatile in use, making it attractive to health‑conscious consumers and food manufacturers. Its traditional applications span staple foods — such as fufu, eba, and porridge — to modern industrial uses including bakery ingredients, snacks, and composite flour blends. Beyond food, cassava flour serves as a raw material in industrial sectors for adhesives, biodegradable packaging materials, and substitutes for wheat in composite flours, especially in regions seeking to reduce reliance on imported grain.

The Nigerian government’s policy requiring up to 30 % inclusion of cassava flour in wheat‑based bakery products aims to stimulate domestic utilization, diversify the baking sector, and support local processors, though supply constraints have slowed full implementation. The domestic demand for high‑quality cassava flour (HQCF) significantly outstrips local supply, with demand estimated in the hundreds of thousands of tonnes per year while supply remains limited, highlighting a substantial market gap and commercialization opportunity.

Globally, the cassava flour market is large and growing steadily. In 2026, the global market is estimated to be worth approximately USD 35.2 billion, and forecasts suggest it could exceed USD 61.5 billion by 2035, growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of around 3.32 %. This expansion reflects rising demand from the food industry — particularly in gluten‑free bakery products, snacks, and industrial starch substitutes — as well as emerging applications in beverages and bio‑based packaging materials.

Regional consumption patterns reveal that the Asia‑Pacific region leads the global market, accounting for approximately 44 % of global demand, followed by Africa with about 32 %, driven by both household and commercial use. Nigeria plays a significant role in this African consumption landscape, contributing around 34 % of regional demand, equating to about 3.1 million metric tons of cassava flour usage. Growth in global demand is bolstered by natural food trends, health‑oriented diets, and industrial interest in sustainable ingredients, all of which create favorable export and investment prospects for producers capable of meeting quality and consistency standards.

In Nigeria specifically, the cassava processing market — which encompasses cassava flour, starch, and related derivatives — is expanding due to rising urban consumption, growing industrial applications, and government backing for import substitution strategies. According to recent market analyses, the cassava processing segment reached approximately 1.95 million tonnes in 2024 and is forecast to grow further, supported by technological advances and processing infrastructure development.

This growth underlines a broader trend where processors and agribusiness investors are increasingly recognizing cassava flour as both a domestic staple and a commodity with export potential. However, stakeholders note that inefficient supply chains, inconsistent quality standards, and under‑utilized industrial capacity are key challenges that must be addressed to unlock full market potential. Bridging the gap between production and processing will be critical for Nigeria to capture a larger share of the estimated USD 180 billion global cassava processing market, in which it currently holds only a small fraction despite its production dominance.

In summary, the feasibility of cassava tuber cultivation and cassava flour production in Nigeria is underpinned by strong agricultural endowments, robust domestic and global demand, and favorable policy incentives. There is significant upside for investors and agribusiness operators willing to modernize farming practices, expand processing capacity, and integrate the value chain vertically.

With targeted investments and quality improvements, cassava flour production in Nigeria can transition from meeting primarily local staple food needs to becoming a scalable industrial agri‑enterprise that contributes meaningfully to economic diversification, export revenues, and rural livelihoods.