NCAN vows to resist cashew roadmap manipulation

The National Cashew Association of Nigeria (NCAN) has vowed to resist attempts to manipulate the country’s cashew roadmap.

The association stated this in a communiqué issued at the close of its 2026 yearly General Meeting (AGM), held in conjunction with the 4th Nigeria Cashew Day.

The event, themed: “Unlocking the Full Potential of Nigeria’s Cashew Industry through Investment, Innovation and Global Trade,” was jointly organised by NCAN and the African Cashew Alliance (ACA).

Jointly signed by the National President of NCAN, Dr. Ojo Joseph Ajanaku; National Secretary, Unekwuojo Augustine Edime; Chairman, NCAN Board of Trustees, Sunday Uzoechi; and the Secretary of NCAN BOT, Abraham Adesina, the communiqué, announced the expulsion of one its members – Mr. AdemolaAdesokan, over allegation of impersonation and other criminal activities.

The AGM resolved to expel Adesokan for undermining the integrity of the association by unlawfully convening a purported Interim Executive Council and an unauthorised AGM in Lagos on January 20, 2026.

“The AGM noted that Adesokan, registered in June 2025, attempted to assume leadership roles and convened electoral processes within three months, in breach of the NCAN Constitution, which requires that no member shall be eligible to contest, be nominated for, or hold executive office unless they have paid yearly membership dues for at least two consecutive years prior to the election and have actively participated in NCAN activities.

The AGM resolved to convey stakeholders meeting across the cashew value chain to review the roadmap before validation, saying “any clandestine review or collusion between individuals and/or organisations to influence the roadmap shall be regarded as a deliberate attempt to undermine the interests of farmers and compromise the integrity of Nigeria’s cashew sector, and such acts shall be resisted through all legal and regulatory measures available to the Association.”

It will be recalled that Adesokan recently issued a statement stating that he was the elected National President of the association.

“The AGM further called for a full investigation into the culpability of Mr. Babatola Faseru and others in Adesokan’s unlawful activities and recommend possible disciplinary action at the next AGM,” it added.

The AGM also acknowledged the MoU with VINACAS and resolved to ensure timely development and implementation of the agreed framework.

The communiqué further revealed that, “The AGM endorsed the 500 million cashew seedling production and distribution project for 2026, led by the Office of the Vice President, KashimShettima, building on 120,000 seedlings distributed by NCAN in 2025.

“The AGM mandated the National President to liaise with the Vice President’s Office to advance cashew production in Nigeria.”

Meanwhile, the association at the Summit resolved to sustain the growth of Nigeria’s cashew industry, and anchor it on a balanced, market-driven framework that expands production, safeguards farmer incomes, and accelerates domestic value addition.

Stakeholders at the summit also resolved that domestic processing capacity must be urgently scaled through public-private partnerships.

Link: https://guardian.ng/business-services/agro-care/ncan-vows-to-resist-cash...