Private Sector Stakeholders Forge Revolutionary Partnership with Ministry of Agriculture
In a historic gathering held in Abuja, private sector stakeholders convened with the Minister of State for Agriculture, Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, to explore groundbreaking partnerships aimed at revolutionizing Nigeria’s agricultural sector.
The meeting, attended by industry leaders including Dr. Tony Bello, Chairman of Shine Bridge Global Incorporated, and Mr. Bassey Ekpo, a prominent U.S.-based Food Manufacturing and Marketing Executive, set the stage for ambitious collaborations with the federal Ministry of Agriculture.
Dr. Bello, representing Shine Bridge Global Incorporated (SBG), unveiled an ambitious initiative to transform cassava into industrial food ingredients and ready-to-eat consumer-packaged foods. Through strategic partnerships with local cassava processors, SBG aims to export a minimum of 3000 metric tons of High-Quality Cassava Flour (HQCF) and Food Grade Cassava Starch to U.S. ready-to-eat food manufacturers. The coalition targets a staggering 50,000 MT of processed cassava food exports from Nigeria by 2030, opening up lucrative markets for cassava processors in Nigeria.
Mr. Ekpo echoed Dr. Bello’s sentiments, expressing his enthusiasm for contributing to Nigeria’s agricultural development. With extensive experience in food manufacturing and supply chain management, Mr. Ekpo outlined market opportunities to incorporate high-quality cassava products and multiple finished goods, thus showcasing the capabilities of Nigerian cassava manufacturing on a global scale.
Responding to the stakeholders, Minister Abdullahi commended their innovative initiatives and emphasized the vast potential of cassava production in Nigeria. He underscored the importance of investing in processing facilities to unlock the full economic potential of cassava, highlighting its significance in ensuring food security, raw material availability, and import substitution.
The minister pledged support for the stakeholders’ endeavors, urging them to submit detailed proposals for further consideration. He emphasized the need for consistency and sustainability in agricultural initiatives, highlighting the importance of collaborative efforts to drive the sector forward.
As the meeting concluded, stakeholders expressed optimism for the future, committed to realizing the transformative potential of cassava production in Nigeria. With the support of the Ministry of Agriculture, they are poised to usher in a new era of agricultural prosperity, harnessing the diverse opportunities offered by cassava to drive economic growth and food security in the nation.
