News in brief:
– Nigeria’s cashew association warns that illegal cashew exports are causing significant revenue losses and hurting the economy.
– Farmers urge Tinubu to strengthen customs operations and crack down on corrupt officials aiding illicit shipments.
Cashew farmers in Nigeria, under the National Cashew Association of Nigeria (NCAN), have appealed to President Bola Tinubu to take urgent action against the illicit export of cashew nuts, which is costing the country significant revenue.
Speaking on Tuesday, the National President, Dr Joseph Ajanaku, expressed concern over the growing trend of illegal cashew shipments facilitated by corrupt officials within the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS).
He revealed that Nigerian cashews are smuggled out of the country without proper documentation, leading to capital flight and a loss of foreign exchange earnings. He also accused customs officials of colluding with foreign buyers who bypass legal export procedures.
“The only way to stop this illegal shipment is to identify the forwarders involved,” he said. “These forwarders provide two types of bills—one for documented shipments and another for non-documented shipments, which allows cashew to be exported secretly.”
Call for government intervention
The association has urged President Tinubu to strengthen the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) to ensure all agricultural exports are properly documented. Ajanaku warned that continued illegal exports would weaken the cashew industry and hurt the economy.
“The government must take this issue seriously,” he stressed. “Customs and the Department of State Security (DSS) should work together to identify corrupt officials and bring them to justice.”
He also alleged an international attempt to undermine Nigerian cashew farmers. The association’s head dismissed claims that Nigeria produces only 100,000 metric tonnes of cashew annually, stating that research by the National Agricultural Extension Research and Liaison Services (NAERLS) puts the figure at over 1 million metric tonnes, rivaling Cote d’Ivoire’s production.
He called for better data management and policies to protect the country’s cashew industry and boost its competitiveness in the global market.
