Nasarawa State Governor Abdullahi Sule has performed the groundbreaking ceremony for the ₦30 billion Sequoia Cassava Industrial City (SCIC) in Kokona Local Government Area, marking a significant milestone in the state's drive toward agro-industrialization and grassroots economic development.
The ambitious project, promoted by Sequoia Farm Limited, aims to establish the country's first 10,000-hectare cassava industrial city, the largest of its kind in Nigeria.
It will create a fully integrated value chain, encompassing large-scale cassava cultivation, processing, and the production of high-value products such as ethanol, starch, high-quality cassava flour, animal feed, and bio-energy.
In its initial phase, the initiative will cultivate 500 hectares through an outgrower scheme, with 80% participation reserved for women from the host community.
The five-year investment plan spans 2025 to 2030 and is expected to boost local employment, skill development, and rural empowerment.
Governor Sule emphasized that the project directly aligns with the resolutions from the National Economic Council (NEC) under the Renewed Hope Ward Development Planning agenda.
He highlighted the NEC's push to shift focus from exporting raw materials to promoting domestic value addition and grassroots development.
"The whole idea from the NEC conference is about developing the ward," Governor Sule said.
"Today, we are not just talking about a ward. We are talking about a village. By the time we have this project, the biggest cassava industrial city in Nigeria then we have developed this ward in the area of cassava."
The governor urged investors to prioritize strong community engagement, noting that local buy-in ensures project security and sustainability.
He pledged ongoing oversight to guarantee fair dealings between the company and the host community.
Sule also revealed that additional investors from India are exploring a separate 10,000-hectare cashew value chain project in areas including Toto and the Akwanga–Kokona axis, further advancing the national agenda against unprocessed raw material exports.
The groundbreaking follows infrastructure improvements by the state government, including an access road to the previously inaccessible site, which has restored confidence and peace in the area.
Officials from the Nasarawa State Investment Development Agency (NASIDA), traditional rulers, landowners, and representatives from the National Cassava Growers Association attended the event, commending the initiative as a transformative step for economic diversification and youth skill acquisition in advanced agro-processing.
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