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Industrial Cassava Stakeholders Association of Nigeria, 2nd floor, E207, PDD Building, FIIRO, Oshodi, Lagos (2026)

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2nd Floor, E207, PDD Building, FIIRO, Oshodi

21/09/2026

WHAT IF CASSAVA DEVELOPMENT DID NOT END AT THE FARM OR PROCESSING FACTORY?

There is a significant opportunity to connect cassava production, midstream processing and downstream utilization into integrated development programmes capable of generating measurable economic and social impact.

Imagine a programme that supports farmers with improved planting materials, agronomic practices and market access; strengthens processors to produce quality HQCF and other cassava derivatives; and then connects these processors to women, youth, cooperatives, bakeries and food entrepreneurs producing snacks, confectioneries, premixes and other value-added products.

Such an approach can create stronger farmer markets, viable processing enterprises, women and youth employment, local manufacturing opportunities, food-system resilience, import substitution, skills development and stronger rural economies.

More importantly, it can address one of the persistent challenges in agricultural development: the disconnect between production and sustainable market demand.

Rather than treating farmers, processors and downstream users as separate intervention points, cassava development programmes can deliberately connect them into commercially viable value chains — from planting material and cultivation, through aggregation and processing, to product development, manufacturing and final markets.

This creates an opportunity for development organizations, NGOs, research institutions, financial institutions, government agencies and private-sector partners to explore integrated cassava development models with clearly defined commercial, social, employment and food-security outcomes.

There is therefore a need to sustain conversations around how downstream demand creation can become a stronger component of cassava development strategy, particularly in areas such as HQCF utilization, food manufacturing, women and youth enterprise development, rural industrialization and local substitution of imported raw materials.

Kazeem Lamidi

17/09/2026

USING TRACEABILITY AND FIELD TESTING TO ASSESS CASSAVA CHIP/DRIED CASSAVA QUALITY

It is good for every cassava chip/dried cassava buyer to have in-situ moisture and starch analyser for instant quality assessment of products being purchased or supplied. However, handheld moisture analysers appear to be more common and relatively cheaper to access, unlike that for starch content, making moisture testing easier to carry out at the point of buying or receiving the product.

Where a starch analyser is not available, there is another practical route for making an informed preliminary assessment. The traditional specific gravity method can be used to estimate the starch content of fresh cassava tubers from the same farm that supplied the raw material used for producing the dried chips. However, this approach is only meaningful where the raw material is traceable and there is reasonable assurance that the tubers are from the same variety, farm and harvest period, with comparable maturity and quality.

Once the estimated starch content of the fresh tubers is established and the actual moisture content of the finished dried cassava is measured, the two values can be cross-positioned to estimate the theoretical starch concentration of the dried cassava. This provides a useful indication of what the finished chips should contain before a laboratory test is conducted for confirmation.

For example, as demonstrated in the accompanying chart, fresh cassava containing 25% starch under the stated assumption can theoretically yield about 64.2% starch at 8% final moisture and about 57.1% at 16% moisture in the dried cassava. The same principle applies to fresh cassava with 30%, 20% or 15% starch potential. The figures are estimates because actual processing losses, deterioration and other factors can affect the final result.

This approach can therefore support prompt decision-making during buying and negotiation. A buyer does not have to rely entirely on the physical appearance or weight of the chips when a moisture reading and reliable information about the original raw material are available.

It also demonstrates another important essence of raw-material traceability in judging the quality of finished cassava products and derivatives. Knowing where the cassava came from, its variety, age, quality and processing history provides valuable context when interpreting the quality of the finished chips.

Beyond this, the need to make reliable, multipurpose and affordable handheld quality-assessment tools for agro-products more accessible to farmers, processors, aggregators and buyers across Nigeria is becoming increasingly important. Such tools can improve transparency, reduce quality disputes and support more informed transactions throughout the cassava value chain.

Kazeem Lamidi
+2348100975775

12/09/2026

HOW RAW-TUBER STARCH LEVEL AND FINAL MOISTURE CONTENT DETERMINE STARCH CONCENTRATION IN DRIED CASSAVA CHIPS

The chart attached is designed to help processors, aggregators and buyers understand an important relationship in cassava chip production; the starch concentration of dried chips is determined by both the starch level of the fresh tubers and the amount of moisture ultimately removed during dehydration.

Fresh cassava contains a substantial proportion of water. When that water is removed during drying, the starch and other solids become concentrated in the remaining dry matter. This means that cassava with higher initial starch potential can produce chips with a substantially higher starch concentration when dried to the same final moisture level.

The comparison of 30%, 25%, 20% and 15% fresh-tuber starch levels illustrates why raw-material quality matters. Two batches of cassava dried to the same moisture content will not necessarily produce chips of the same starch concentration. The batch originating from higher-starch tubers will retain a clear advantage in the finished product.

The moisture columns demonstrate another important principle. Within the same fresh-tuber starch category, reducing final moisture from 16% towards 8% concentrates the starch further because less water remains in the finished chips. Thus, achieving a lower and controlled final moisture content can significantly improve the starch concentration expressed on a finished-product basis.

For processors, this reinforces the need to combine high-starch raw material with efficient dehydration. Drying does not create additional starch; it concentrates the starch already present. More importantly, rapid and well-controlled dehydration can help reduce the period during which freshly harvested cassava remains exposed to post-harvest deterioration and enzymatic activity, helping to preserve its original quality.

For aggregators and buyers, the lesson is that purchasing cassava chips simply by weight can hide major differences in value. Moisture content and starch concentration should be considered together because two 1-ton batches of chips can contain substantially different quantities of useful dry matter and starch. A lower-moisture, high-starch chip can therefore have greater functional and commercial value than a heavier batch carrying more residual water.

The figures in the chart should be understood as theoretical concentration estimates based on the stated assumption that fresh cassava contains 65% moisture and that starch is retained during drying. Actual results can differ because of variety, maturity, dry-matter content, deterioration, processing losses and drying conditions.

Kazeem Lamidi
+2348100975775

10/09/2026

INCSAN STRENGTHENS CASSAVA SEED SYSTEM THROUGH TRAINING OF YOUNG SEED ENTREPRENEURS

The Industrial Cassava Stakeholders’ Association of Nigeria (INCSAN) has commenced a four-day Technical, Leadership and Business Training Programme for young cassava seed entrepreneurs, reinforcing its commitment to developing the human capacity required to strengthen Nigeria’s cassava seed system and improve farmers’ access to quality planting materials.

The training, which commenced on Tuesday, September 8 and will run through Friday, September 11, 2026, is being held within the premises of the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB), Ogun State. The programme has brought together approximately 100 graduate farmers who are being equipped with practical knowledge and entrepreneurial competencies to establish and operate sustainable cassava seed businesses.

In his opening remarks, the President of INCSAN, Mr. Segun Ladele, highlighted the history and mandate of the Association, describing INCSAN as a non-profit organisation registered under the laws of Nigeria in July 2016 as a platform for conventions, collaboration and coalitions among industrial stakeholders in the Nigerian cassava sector. He recalled that the Association was established ten years ago through the convening role of IDH - The Sustainable Trade Initiative, and acknowledged the organisation’s unwavering support to INCSAN since its inception.

Mr. Ladele stated that the training is being delivered through collaboration among key institutions and organisations with expertise in agricultural development, research, seed systems and cassava value chain development. Participating organisations include Federal University Of Agriculture Abeokuta(FUNAAB), Sasakawa Africa Association (SAA), IITA GoSeed, National Root Crops Research Institute (NRCRI), National Agricultural Seeds Council (NASC), PROSSIVA and other relevant stakeholders.

The programme combines classroom presentations with practical field demonstrations, allowing participants to connect technical knowledge with real-world cassava seed production and enterprise management. Training sessions cover the fundamentals of establishing a certified cassava seed business, good agronomic practices for cassava seed farm management, development of profitable cassava seed enterprises, leadership and customer management, among other critical areas.

The training is complementing a separate strategic initiative being pursued by INCSAN to strengthen the availability of quality cassava planting materials. Under this distinct initiative, INCSAN is collaborating with FUNAAB, IITA GoSeed and Umudike Seed towards the establishment of a 25-hectare Cassava Seed Multiplication Farm, intended to strengthen the production and availability of quality planting materials.

Addressing the trainees, the INCSAN President urged them to maximise the opportunity by actively engaging with the facilitators and translating the knowledge gained into viable enterprises. He encouraged the participants to see cassava seed entrepreneurship not only as a business opportunity, but also as an avenue to contribute meaningfully to the development of Nigeria’s agricultural economy. He emphasized the important role the emerging entrepreneurs can play in bridging the distribution gap that currently limits the circulation of newly improved cassava varieties, particularly among smallholder farmers in rural communities.

'The development of a network of technically competent and commercially driven cassava seed entrepreneurs will enable improved planting materials to move more efficiently from research and seed development institutions to farmers, thereby supporting increased productivity, improved farm-level returns and greater competitiveness across the cassava value chain.', said the INCSAN president.

The training represents another step in INCSAN’s continuing efforts to promote collaboration, capacity development and practical solutions to the challenges confronting Nigeria’s industrial cassava sector.

Through partnerships with research institutions, development organisations, regulatory bodies and other stakeholders, INCSAN remains committed to strengthening the identity of the Nigerian industrial cassava voice and supporting initiatives that can deliver sustainable value across the cassava value chain.

To know more about Industrial Cassava Stakeholders Association of Nigeria (INCSAN) and its activities in the Nigerian cassava sector, visit www.icsan.com.ng

27/08/2026

WHY ARE WE NOT YET EXPLOITING THE SOUTH-WEST’S NATURAL ADVANTAGE IN PEELED CASSAVA CHIPS PRODUCTION?

There is a strong economic argument for encouraging the production of peeled cassava chips in the South-West, particularly as export demand continues to grow. The region has access to cassava tubers in large quantities and, in many locations, at comparatively competitive prices. What is needed now is to connect this raw material advantage with the growing market for export-grade peeled chips.

The logistics advantage is equally important. From Ibarapa, for example, the current cost of moving 30 tons of chips to warehouses around Lagos—loading, revenue, transportation and road expenses combined—is about N1.22 million, or approximately N40,700 per ton. When this is added to a farmgate peeled-chip price of N150,000–N170,000 per ton, the product can potentially reach Lagos warehouses at about N190,700–N210,700 per ton.

This compares favourably with the reported N215,000–N220,000 per ton landing cost of peeled cassava chips produced in Sokoto and moved all the way to warehouses around Lagos. The implication is that, even with the relatively higher logistics cost now being experienced in the South-West, proximity to the export corridor can still create a meaningful landed-cost advantage.

Of course, peeling should not be treated as cost-free. Even with mechanized peeling, the additional costs for peeling, must be considered, while the removal of the peel also reduces the physical recovery of chips from the same quantity of cassava roots. These factors must be properly built into the production economics. But where the export premium is strong enough, the business can still remain competitive.

The opportunity therefore goes beyond Lagos ports. The South-West also has strategic access to the Idi-Iroko/Seme corridor, through which dried cassava products can move into neighbouring West African markets in which increasing request for peeled cassava chips; considered as grade A is becoming too strong to ignore. This gives producers the possibility of serving both maritime export channels and regional cross-border markets from the same production base.

What we need is deliberate investment in peeled-chip processing clusters across the South-West, supported by efficient peeling and drying technology, aggregation, quality control, and, most importantly, linkages with confirmed buyers.

Kazeem Lamidi

25/08/2026

REVIVING MORIBUND CASSAVA FACTORIES THROUGH STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS

Nigeria does not necessarily need much of new cassava processing factories when substantial existing capacity remains idle or underutilized. For owners of abandoned factories, the immediate opportunity is to unlock value already trapped in the facility and its infrastructure, rather than allowing these investments to continue deteriorating.

Factory abandonment is rarely caused by one factor. In many cases, it is a combination of inadequate working capital, unreliable cassava supply, high energy and processing costs, weak management and, importantly, poor market access. This is where concessioning, long-term leasing, joint ventures, operating partnerships or management contracts can provide a soft landing for owners who no longer have the capacity or appetite to invest further.

Rather than selling a distressed asset cheaply, the owner can bring in a competent investor/operator to provide rehabilitation capital, working capital, technical capacity, management, feedstock development and market access, while retaining an agreed economic interest.

For prospective investors, however, the opportunity is not simply to acquire a factory and restart its machines. Proper technical, commercial and legal due diligence must establish the real condition of the plant, cassava catchment, energy and logistics costs, working-capital requirement, existing liabilities and, above all, who will buy the output. When looking at the market access, consideration may also be given to possibilities of changing the product from what the factory was originally designed to produce, depending on current opportunities.

Feedstock is equally critical. A factory located in a cassava-producing area does not automatically have an economically reliable supply. The operator may need to develop out-growers, nucleus farms, farmer financing and structured procurement. Current industry evidence continues to identify unreliable feedstock as a major reason for low utilization of Nigerian cassava-processing capacity.

The important point is that not every abandoned factory should be revived in the same way. Some require management, some capital, some market repositioning, some feedstock development and others complete restructuring. A few may simply be uneconomic to revive. The right intervention should therefore follow a proper factory-failure and investment diagnostic.

For owners, this is an opportunity to reconsider an idle asset before its value deteriorates further. For new investors, it offers a potentially cheaper entry route than building another greenfield factory, provided the asset has the right location, technology potential, feedstock and market opportunity.

A moribund factory should therefore be seen not only as a failed investment, but as a potential turnaround opportunity for the right investment, positioning ,and the right management model.

Kazeem Lamidi
https://wa.me/2348100975775

25/08/2026

PRESERVING STARCH VALUE IN CASSAVA CHIPS PRODUCTION THROUGH CONTROLLED PROCESSING

Cassava-chip quality control begins at harvest. If fresh roots contain 25% starch, 1 ton contains about 250 kg of starch. Immediate chipping and mechanical drying to 12% moisture theoretically produces about 341 kg of chips, containing roughly 73.3% starch, assuming negligible dry-matter loss.

But delaying chipping until the second day and drying for another 3-5 days may expose the tubers and chips to prolonged deterioration. Immediate chipping and controlled drying may require more capital and energy, but improve drying time, moisture uniformity, and consistency.

Open-sun drying seems cheaper because energy from sunlight is practically free. However, costs will shift to labour requirement, space, weather dependence, longer processing and contamination risk. FAO guidance recommends rapid drying to limit mould and quality deterioration.

Rain increases risk. Partially dried chips may be re-wetted, prolonging high-moisture conditions that favour fungal growth. Rain does not automatically cause aflatoxin contamination, but repeated wetting and drying can increase microbiological deterioration and reduce safety and acceptability.

The relevant measure is the cost of producing a ton of acceptable industrial chips, not simply drying cost. A mechanical dryer may justify its capital cost by enabling immediate processing, higher intake, shorter drying time, reduced labour dependence and operation during rainy periods.

It is however important that one should evaluate drying equipment by capacity, energy use, drying time, maintenance and operating cost per ton—not just only by the purchase price alone. Controlled drying is attractive when it protects raw-material value and increases output per batch production.

In many cases, the main challenge in accessing mechanical drying solutions is financing. But considering different funding options like lease-to-own, installments, equipment-as-a-service, cluster-owned dryers and production-linked financing can reduce this associated upfront costs.

In Nigeria, BOI's current Food & Agro Commodity Processing programme offers equipment and working-capital financing, with limits up to N10 million for cooperatives/enterprises and N200 million for limited liability companies, at 9% interest and 3–5-year terms.

The direction therefore should be to harvest, chip and dry promptly while keeping the system financially and operationally sustainable. The industry needs technology matched to cassava volume, justified by cost per ton and capable of consistently producing starch-rich chips that meet industrial specifications.

With suitable financing and capacity-matched equipment, controlled mechanical drying can help protect starch content and improve profitability, thereby making cassava chips become a dependable industrial raw material.

Kazeem Lamidi
https://wa.me/2348100975775

25/08/2026

INCSAN IS BUILDING THE COLLECTIVE STRENGTH TO TRANSFORM NIGERIA CASSAVA VALUE CHAIN

Nigeria cassava industry has the production base and potential to become a major industrial force, yet fragmentation remains one of its biggest constraints. Farmers, processors, input suppliers, researchers, service providers, industrial users, investors, and exporters often operate separately, weakening coordination, efficiency and the collective bargaining power needed to shape the market.

This is the gap the Industrial Cassava Stakeholders Association of Nigeria (INCSAN) has been working to bridge. As a multi-stakeholder platform for collaboration, and sector advocacy, INCSAN connects the different players required for sustainable cassava value-chain development, while promoting market development, capacity building, strategic partnerships, demand creation and collective representation.

The challenges facing the industry are interconnected. Poor farm yield and high energy and processing costs make locally produced cassava derivatives less competitive. Addressing this requires coordinated action across the entire value chain.

The same integrated approach is needed to address the export of Nigerian cassava as low-value products. The issue is not simply stopping foreign buyers from purchasing our cassava, but ensuring that Nigerian stakeholders are organized and competitive enough to determine where our cassava goes, in what form and at what value.

Where cassava chips make commercial sense, they should be standardized and strategically marketed; where greater value can be created through HQCF, starch, and other derivatives, we should create the conditions to retain more of that value within Nigeria.

This is why broader participation in INCSAN matters. Farmers bring production capacity, processors conversion capacity, industrial users demand, researchers knowledge, investors capital, while service providers, logistics operators and exporters connect the chain to markets.

The more of these pieces we bring together, the stronger the ecosystem becomes. Through INCSAN, collaboration can generate market intelligence, strategic partnerships, solutions to common challenges, stronger policy influence and improved competitiveness.

INCSAN membership is therefore more than belonging to another association. It provides a platform for market opportunities, industry intelligence, partnerships, business growth, capacity building, innovation linkages, demand creation and collective representation. No farmer, processor, company or institution can transform Nigeria cassava industry alone.

To join the Industrial Cassava Stakeholders Association of Nigeria (INCSAN), call/WhatsApp +234 706 075 3660, +234 810 097 5775 or +234 8034101017, or email [email protected] / [email protected].

Kazeem Lamidi
Business Development Officer (INCSAN)

22/08/2026

COST AND PROFIT EVALUATION FOR PREMIUM QUALITY WHITE FERMENTED GARRI PRODUCTION

The cost analysis for producing 1 ton of premium fermented white garri, based on an average production volume of 15 tons monthly, becomes significantly more challenging when the supply price of cassava tubers is between N50,000 and N60,000 per ton. At a 5:1 conversion ratio as obtainable in the raining season, cassava alone costs N250,000–N300,000 per ton of finished garri.

This makes raw-material sourcing one of the most important determinants of profitability, particularly when premium garri is being produced for quality-conscious domestic and export markets.

With cassava at N50,000 per ton, the other production costs comprising peeling, firewood, diesel, machine operation, utilities, finished-product packaging and fermentation sacks bring direct production cost to about N482,500 per ton.

Adding N20,000 for the owner's salary allocation, based on 15 tons monthly, and N20,000 for miscellaneous expenses, maintenance, minor consumables and wastage gives an estimated fully loaded cost of N522,500 per ton. At N60,000 cassava, the corresponding fully loaded cost rises to approximately N572,500 per ton.

At N500/kg, the business would therefore lose approximately N22,500–N72,500 per ton, depending on cassava price. At N550/kg, the outcome ranges from approximately N27,500 profit to N22,500 loss per ton.

At N600/kg, profitability improves to approximately N77,500–N27,500 per ton. These figures demonstrate that at current cassava prices, the domestic commodity market may provide insufficient margin unless production efficiency and raw-material procurement are substantially improved.

The situation changes significantly if the product can command N700/kg, particularly from export buyers who place greater value on consistent whiteness, fermentation quality, hygiene, food safety, packaging and reliable specifications.

At N700/kg, each ton generates N700,000 revenue. Against the estimated fully loaded cost of N522,500–N572,500, the business would generate approximately N127,500–N77,500 profit per ton, depending on cassava price.

At 15 tons monthly, this represents approximately N1.91 million–N1.16 million monthly profit, making the premium export-oriented model substantially more attractive.

However, the N700/kg opportunity should not be interpreted simply as an opportunity to charge a higher price. Export buyers will normally expect consistency, traceability, appropriate packaging, food-safety compliance, documentation and dependable supply.

Meeting these requirements may introduce additional costs for laboratory testing, certification, export-standard packaging, logistics and quality assurance. Nevertheless, the additional value captured from a genuine premium market can more than compensate for these costs if the product is properly differentiated and the market is secured.

The strategic implication is therefore that premium fermented white garri should increasingly be treated as a value-added product rather than a commodity. At a 5:1 conversion ratio, securing cassava at N50,000–N60,000 remains critical, while moving toward 4:1 could save N50,000–N60,000 per ton.

Combined with an export-oriented selling price of N700/kg, this could potentially push the margin substantially higher and provide greater protection against fluctuations in cassava and energy costs.

The business is therefore most resilient when it combines efficient processing, controlled raw-material costs, premium positioning and access to higher-value export markets. The real opportunity is not simply to produce more garri, but to produce a consistently premium product that commands a premium price in markets willing to pay for quality.

Kazeem Lamidi

21/08/2026

IMPORTED CORN STARCH, CASSAVA AND THE DANGER OF LOSING OUR INDUSTRIAL SOVEREIGNTY

Outright dependence on imported corn starch for industrial utilization in Nigeria’s food and pharmaceutical industries should concern every serious stakeholder. It is not merely about import substitution or protecting local processors; it is fundamentally about industrial sovereignty and supply-chain resilience.

The COVID-19 experience should have taught us that when global supply chains are disrupted, countries excessively dependent on imported critical raw materials quickly discover the real cost. God forbid another COVID-like pandemic or other importation disruptions, only then may we fully appreciate the damage caused by policies that encourage import dependence while weakening domestic production.

The concern becomes even more serious when we consider Nigeria’s cassava value chain. Farmers and processors have invested years building production capacity around the expectation that our enormous cassava resource would increasingly support industrial raw-material development.

But when imported alternatives receive policy advantages that make them cheaper than locally produced substitutes, the consequences travel all the way back to the farm. The danger is that we may celebrate today's apparent abundance—or temporary availability of cheaper competing raw materials—without considering what happens to production capacity tomorrow.

At that point, the question will change from “Why is cassava expensive?” to “Where is the cassava?” Agricultural production does not respond instantly to industrial demand. Once farmers leave, restoring acreage, confidence and investment takes time.

Interestingly, we appear to be repeating a similar experiment with maize. The current availability of maize at relatively attractive prices can create the impression that Nigeria has solved its grain supply challenge. Yet part of this situation is influenced by importation facilitated by the zero import tariff regime.

If those imports suddenly stop because of geopolitical tensions, export restrictions, foreign exchange constraints, shipping disruptions or another global emergency, we may discover that apparent abundance is not necessarily the same as domestic production strength.

The consequences would extend far beyond maize farmers. Feed manufacturers could face higher raw-material costs; poultry and livestock producers could experience another wave of cost escalation; processors could struggle to secure sufficient grain; and consumers would eventually absorb the impact through higher food prices.

This is why Nigeria must distinguish between short-term price relief and long-term supply-chain resilience. Importation can be useful for bridging temporary supply gaps and stabilizing markets, but when import policy systematically undermines domestic production, the country may be exchanging today's cheaper raw material for tomorrow's strategic vulnerability.

Kazeem Lamidi
+2348100975775

Industrial Cassava Stakeholders Association of Nigeria

21/09/2026

17/09/2026

12/09/2026

10/09/2026

27/08/2026

25/08/2026

25/08/2026

25/08/2026

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21/08/2026

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Monday	08:00 - 17:00
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