About NCIA
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Comprehensive support across the cassava value chain to drive industrial transformation
Who We Are
Driving Nigeria's Cassava Industrialisation
The Nigeria Cassava Investment Accelerator (NCIA) is a strategic initiative, funded by the Gates Foundation, and hosted at Lagos Business School (LBS), established to drive investments toward the industrialisation of cassava in Nigeria.
The NCIA was born from an ambition to transform Nigeria’s cassava industry and drive the economy towards industrialisation. It builds on past interventions and programmes, is informed by lessons learned from previous efforts, and seeks to plug into and amplify ongoing work in the cassava value chain. As the world’s largest producer of cassava, Nigeria produces over 61 million metric tonnes annually, contributing a remarkable $9 billion to the agricultural GDP. Despite this impressive output, the cassava industry presents a vast untapped potential worth an estimated $5 billion.
The NCIA is committed to transforming this potential into sustainable economic growth. By mobilising stakeholders from public and private sectors, we aim to catalyse a thriving cassava industrialisation ecosystem that assures food security and creates jobs. We believe that through strategic partnerships among stakeholders, government policy and regulatory support, as well as targeted investments in technology and farming, Nigeria can harness cassava’s full potential to drive socio-economic transformation.
The Opportunity
Nigeria's Cassava Potential
As the world’s largest producer of cassava, Nigeria produces over 61 million metric tonnes annually, contributing a remarkable $9 billion to the agricultural GDP. Despite this impressive output, the cassava industry presents a vast untapped potential worth an estimated $5 billion.
The NCIA is committed to transforming this potential into sustainable economic growth. By mobilising stakeholders from public and private sectors, we aim to catalyse a thriving cassava industrialisation ecosystem that assures food security and creates jobs.
Our Commitment
Strategic Partnerships for Transformation
We believe that through strategic partnerships among stakeholders, government policy and regulatory support, as well as targeted investments in technology and farming, Nigeria can harness cassava’s full potential to drive socio-economic transformation.
Investment Infrastructure
The NCIA Virtual Deal Room (VDR)
A role-based deal management and market access platform designed to improve capital flow, transparency, and structured engagement across Nigeria’s cassava value chain.
What is the VDR?
The Virtual Deal Room supports efficient deal submission, vetting, discovery, and secure engagement between Processors, Funders, and NCIA, while also strengthening market linkages across the cassava value chain.
- Curated repository of investment opportunities
- Structured, standardized deal information
- NDA-controlled document sharing
- Real-time pipeline tracking
- Verified offtaker database
For Funders
Access a curated repository of active fundraising and investment-ready opportunities across the cassava value chain — from primary production to processing into derivatives such as HQCF, starch, sweeteners, and bioethanol.
- Browse NCIA-surfaced deals with structured data
- Filter by ticket size, geography, type, and stage
- Engage securely through NDA-controlled sharing
- Filter by ticket size, geography, type, and stage
Why sign up?
The VDR reduces origination friction, improves deal quality through structured screening, and provides transparent access to credible opportunities in one of Nigeria’s priority agricultural value chains.
For Processors
Submit structured deals and gain visibility to a pool of active funders while accessing verified domestic and international offtakers of cassava derivatives.
- Submit deals through guided format with validation
- Receive visibility to active funders
- Track deal status and engagement in real time
- Access database of verified offtakers
- Strengthen financing and market positioning
Why sign up?
Other Stakeholders
Access high-level, non-confidential market insights and ecosystem updates to understand pipeline activity and sector momentum.
- Access non-confidential market insights
- Understand pipeline activity
- Identify partnership opportunities
- Engage with NCIA on sector development
Get Involved
Our Mission
To catalyse Nigeria’s cassava industry by unlocking capital to drive sustainable growth, economic progress, and improve livelihoods across the value chain
- Facilitate $200M+ in cassava investments by 2028
- Support 500+ processors across Nigeria
- Create 25,000+ jobs in cassava value chains
- Influence policy reforms for sector growth
Our Vision
A thriving Nigerian cassava industry that is globally competitive, sustainably managed, and provides dignified livelihoods for millions of farmers and processors while meeting domestic and international demand.
- Nigeria as Africa's cassava processing hub
- Integrated, efficient value chains
- Export-quality cassava derivatives
- Inclusive economic transformation
How We Create Impact
Our Core Functions
A comprehensive, multi-stakeholder approach to cassava sector transformation
Investment Facilitation
- Investment Facilitation
- Due diligence & opportunity vetting
- Financial modeling & deal structuring
- Investor matchmaking & negotiation support
- Post-investment monitoring & impact tracking
Capacity Building
- Technical training for processors
- Business management support
- Good agricultural practices training
- Quality control & certification
Policy & Advocacy
- Tariff & trade policy recommendations
- Quality standards development
- Investment incentive design
- Government-industry dialogue
Strategic Focus Areas
Industrialisation Pathways
High-value cassava applications with proven market potential
Sweetener
Focusing on scaling cassava-based sweetener production to meet demand from Nigeria’s growing food and beverage industries. By expanding processing facilities, ensuring steady tuber supply, and fostering partnerships with large-scale off-takers, we can replace costly sugar imports with locally produced alternatives such as glucose and sorbitol.
15% CAGR
High-Quality Cassava Flour
Improving processing efficiency and expanding high-quality cassava flour (HQCF) production, this pathway supports the inclusion of cassava flour in baked goods, pasta, and other food products. Increasing utilisation rates and fostering supply chain linkages between processors and bakeries will enhance Nigeria’s capacity to substitute wheat imports.
12% CAGR
Starch
Scaling cassava starch production can reduce Nigeria’s dependence on imports, serving local demand for food, pharmaceutical, and industrial applications. By adopting advanced processing methods and offering a cost-competitive, high-quality product, producers could effectively replace alternatives such as cornstarch with a locally sourced and more affordable alternative.
10% CAGR
Bio-Ethanol
Promoting the scaling of cassava-based bio-ethanol production for use in food, beverages, and industrial products. By strengthening feedstock supply and securing off-take agreements with beverage manufacturers, the pathway addresses Nigeria’s growing ethanol demand while reducing reliance on imports.
18% CAGR
Leadership
Our Team
Experienced professionals driving cassava sector transformation
Collaboration
Our Partners
Working with leading institutions to catalyze cassava industrialisation
