…as processors push for reforms
The Cashew Processors and Packagers Association of Nigeria (CAPPAN) has endorsed the appointment of Ademola Adesokan as interim national president of the National Cashew Association of Nigeria (NCAN), describing the change as a long-awaited opportunity to restore transparency and accountability in the industry.
Adesokan will be taking over from Ojo Ajanaku, who, until now, spearheaded the affairs of NCAN as president.
CAPPAN said the restructuring of the cashew association, which produced Adesokan’s leadership, followed years of agitation by stakeholders who accused the association’s former executives of exclusion and mismanagement.
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Tunde Awoyoola, managing director of Nutslink Limited, said the development represents a turning point that reflects what “we have consistently advocated, that NCAN must evolve into a body that truly represents farmers, processors, traders, and exporters, rather than serving the interests of a few individuals.”
According to him, the new leadership should remain steadfast in their commitment to restoring credibility, unity, and fairness to the association.
The group recalled that NCAN’s past leadership operated despite a 2022 court injunction terminating its tenure and failed in reconciliation talks held earlier this year.
Awoyoola noted that the former executives resisted reforms that could strengthen domestic processing and reduce dependence on raw nut exports.
CAPPAN insists that the future of Nigeria’s cashew industry lies in value addition.
The association has proposed a structured export system that would pause raw nut exports for two to three months at the start of each harvest season, giving local processors first access to quality nuts at a guaranteed farm-gate price before allowing controlled exports of surpluses.
Awoyoola argued that this approach, which is in line with how responsible umbrella bodies operate globally, would create a fairer system that supports both farmers and processors while boosting Nigeria’s economic growth.
He urged the new NCAN leadership to prioritise the Cashew Policy Roadmap, developed with the Federal ministry of Agriculture and Food Security and the Federal ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment.
The roadmap is expected to reposition Nigeria as a global leader in cashew processing and value-added exports.
Industry veterans, including cashew aggregator Akinola Saliu, also welcomed the reforms, noting that NCAN had drifted from its original mandate as a unifying platform for the cashew value chain.
CAPPAN called on all stakeholders to put aside divisions and rally behind Adesokan’s interim leadership.
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“This new chapter presents a golden opportunity to unify all stakeholders and reposition Nigeria not only as a leading producer of cashew nuts but also as a global leader in cashew processing and value creation,” Awoyoola noted.
He added that it is time to put the past behind and embrace a future built on trust, inclusivity, and innovation for the benefit of the cashew industry and the Nigerian economy at large.
