Tony Bello, the chief innovation and commercialisation officer of Matna Foods Limited, has urged stakeholders to prioritise value addition to unlock the full industrial and economic potential of Nigeria’s cassava sector.

Mr Bello made the call in a statement on Saturday to commemorate the 2026 World Cassava Day.

He said that although Nigeria remains the world’s largest cassava producer, with annual output exceeding 60 million metric tonnes, the achievement had yet to translate into broad-based economic prosperity.

“The future of cassava is not simply more production. The future of cassava is what it is becoming,” he said.

According to Mr Bello, cassava is evolving from a staple food into industrial raw materials, speciality starches, functional ingredients, nutrition products, biomaterials and renewable energy solutions.

He described cassava industrialisation as a shift from food security to economic security through innovation-driven manufacturing.

Mr Bello cited the investments of Agbeyewa Farms, Matna Foods and Cavista Holdings as examples of integrated cassava value chain development.

He said Agbeyewa Farms secured feedstock, Matna Foods was expanding processing capacity, and Cavista Holdings provided governance, innovation and commercialisation support.

According to him, agriculture, science, engineering and market development must work together to unlock the crop’s full economic potential.

“The opportunity before Nigeria is much larger than cassava production,” he said.

Mr Bello said Nigeria could reduce dependence on imported food ingredients, starches, sweeteners, bakery systems and packaged foods by developing competitive local alternatives.

He identified research, engineering, commercialisation, private investment and supportive government policies as critical drivers of the sector’s growth.

He also called for stronger integration across seed development, mechanisation, processing, logistics, manufacturing and export promotion.

According to Mr Bello, the sector’s success should be measured by the value created, jobs generated, exports expanded and lives transformed.

He said World Cassava Day serves as a reminder that globally competitive industries can be built around Africa’s indigenous resources through science, entrepreneurship and investment.

Mr Bello urged stakeholders to collaborate to build a cassava industry that creates jobs, expands exports, and drives sustainable economic growth.

 (NAN)