At the recent gathering of the Vietnam Cashew Association (VINACAS) in Hanoi \u2014 the 14th Golden Cashew Rendezvous 2025 \u2014 Nigeria and Vietnam signed a landmark Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to deepen cooperation in cashew production, processing and technology.<\/p>\n National Cashew Association of Nigeria (NCAN) President Dr. Ojo Joseph Ajanaku declared this pact a turning point for Nigeria\u2019s non-oil export ambitions.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s the thrilling part:<\/strong><\/p>\n \u2022 Nigeria\u2019s cashew exports to Vietnam soared to US$420 million in 2025.<\/p>\n \u2022 At the Summit, Kogi\u2019s cashew was singled out as the most nutritious and flavourful variety in the world.<\/p>\n \u2022 Vietnam pledged to share its technology (it has more than 500 member firms) to help Nigeria move from exporting raw nuts to processing and value-adding in-country.<\/p>\n Why Kogi Matters \u2014 And Why This Is Big for Kogites<\/strong><\/p>\n In the heart of Kogi, this is more than agriculture \u2014 it\u2019s identity, heritage and economic hope. Some of the key facts:<\/p>\n \u2022 Kogi State is one of Nigeria\u2019s leading cashew producers, with large areas dedicated to cashew nut cultivation.<\/p>\n \u2022 With the recognition of Kogi\u2019s cashew quality at the global level, local farmers and communities now have a story to tell \u2014 and a brand they can point to with pride.<\/p>\n \u2022 The new partnership with Vietnam promises job creation, processing plants, technology transfer, and a shift from raw exports to finished products (cashew juice, kernels, by-products) in Kogi.<\/p>\n From Soil to Global Stage: The Promise and the Challenge<\/strong><\/p>\n Imagine a Kogi farmer \u2014 aged tree cashew orchard, under the sun, harvesting nuts that are shipped halfway across the world. Now imagine that same farmer, harvesting nuts that are processed locally, packed in Kogi-branded jute bags, exported with a premium, generating jobs and wealth for his community. That is the story unfolding.<\/p>\n But it\u2019s not without hurdles:<\/p>\n \u2022 Historically, while production was high, processing in Nigeria lagged and many raw nuts were shipped abroad for value-addition elsewhere.<\/p>\n \u2022 Local dealers have raised concerns about foreign firms bypassing local value chains and buying directly from farmers, which undermines local economic benefit.<\/p>\n What This Means for Kogi indigenes and Nigerians<\/strong><\/p>\n For you \u2014 whether you\u2019re farmers in Kabba-Bunu, Idah, Lokoja or investors, youth and entrepreneurs \u2014 this is a call to action:<\/p>\n \u2022 Kogi\u2019s cashew has \u201cworld-class credentials\u201d now. Use this to build value chains in the state.<\/p>\n \u2022 With the MoU and incoming Vietnamese technology, now is the time to shift from raw nut sales to processing, packaging, branding and export.<\/p>\n \u2022 The Government of Kogi, through Kogi State Commodity Exchange Export Promotion and Marketing Development Agency (KOSCEPA) is already planting 15 million trees, aiming for 150,000 metric tonnes by 2027.<\/p>\n \u2022 For the everyday Nigerian, this means agriculture beyond subsistence \u2014 it means non-oil export, jobs, foreign exchange.<\/p>\n A Proud Declaration<\/strong><\/p>\n Tiday, \u201cCashew is the new oil, and Kogi is its capital.\u201d A bold statement, yes \u2014 but one backed by facts, global recognition and homegrown potential.<\/p>\n In Kogi\u2019s fields, beneath the green canopy, lies not just a nut \u2014 but a future. A future where a Kogi farmer\u2019s yield is not just sent abroad raw, but processed in-state, turned into kernels, juice, even cashew-butter, packaged in Kogi-branded bag, exported globally \u2014 and the value stays in Kogi, stays in Nigeria.<\/p>\n Let\u2019s seize it.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Once nestled in the quiet farmland of Kogi State \u2014 where the banks of the Niger and Benue rivers meet in heritage and harvest \u2014 a humble nut has broken through the clouds of obscurity. Today, the \u201cKogi cashew\u201d stands tall, recognized not just in Nigeria but on the global stage. A Giant Leap for […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":95918,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5779,4,5777,7],"tags":[7452,7451,59,4429,249,51],"class_list":["post-95917","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-agriculture","category-business","category-features","category-news","tag-ajanaku","tag-cashew","tag-kogi","tag-mou","tag-nigeria","tag-vietnam"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/everyday.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/95917","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/everyday.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/everyday.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/everyday.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/7"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/everyday.ng\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=95917"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/everyday.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/95917\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/everyday.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/95918"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/everyday.ng\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=95917"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/everyday.ng\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=95917"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/everyday.ng\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=95917"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}![\"\"](\"https:\/\/everyday.ng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/IMG-20251107-WA0008-768x576-1-300x225.jpg\")