By Faridat Salifu
Farmers and processors in Nigeria’s cassava sector are grappling with a deepening glut that has led to crashing prices, factory shutdowns, and widespread financial losses.
Warnings about a potential glut had surfaced earlier in the year, with stakeholders urging restraint in pricing and cautioning about a looming oversupply.
Industrial processors were already reporting storage issues and reduced operations by the first quarter, with some halting production entirely.
The crisis has been linked to weak domestic demand, driven by the rising preference for cheaper imported alternatives like corn starch.
The Guardian reported in March 2025 that the crash was aggravated by the Federal Government’s decision to waive import duties on corn starch, making it significantly cheaper than locally produced cassava starch.
At that time, imported corn starch dropped to about N800,000 per ton, while cassava starch remained between N1 million and N1.2 million due to high production costs.
Farmers feared the glut would collapse market prices and force them to sell at a loss, a prediction that has since materialised.
Prices for cassava tubers have plunged, with a pickup load that sold for N500,000 in 2024 now fetching just over N100,000.
In Ogun State’s Imeko area, farmer Yinka Idowu said prices have dropped as low as N70,000 for a pickup load, predicting that the downturn may last through 2026.
He anticipates a recovery beginning in 2027 or 2028 but warns that many farmers may abandon cassava cultivation this season due to current losses.
Processors in Oyo and Ogun states have also felt the impact, with excessive supply from major producing areas like Oyo dragging prices nationwide.
Kazeem Lamidi, a processor based in Kajola, noted that demand from the garri and fufu market was insufficient to absorb the oversupply when industrial processors paused procurement in February 2025.
A brief price recovery occurred in May when a major ethanol buyer resumed purchases in the North Central region, causing a spike in cassava tuber and chip prices.
However, hopes for large-scale exports were dampened by drying challenges during the rainy season, limiting the availability of market-ready cassava chips.
Lamidi said most processors remain inactive, crippled not by lack of capacity but by competition from imported starch substitutes and inconsistent policy support.
He criticised government waivers that favour importation over local production, warning that continued neglect of domestic processors could push the industry toward collapse.
Lamidi urged a shift in focus to export markets as a possible survival strategy until policies are realigned to support Nigeria’s cassava value chain.
