# Lokoja university proposes 50-hectare cassava pilot > RMRDC and Federal University Lokoja held preliminary talks; the 50-hectare pilot proposal is not an approval or funded project. - Canonical URL: https://newsverum.com/en/news/nigeria-lokoja-cassava-value-chain-50-hectare-pilot-proposal-2026 - Publisher: Newsverum - Section: Agriculture - Country: Nigeria - Published: 2026-10-20T14:20:11+00:00 - Updated: 2026-10-20T14:20:11+00:00 - Source review period: 2026-10 - Other editions: [Türkçe](https://newsverum.com/tr/news/nigeria-lokoja-cassava-value-chain-50-hectare-pilot-proposal-2026.md), [العربية](https://newsverum.com/ar/news/nigeria-lokoja-cassava-value-chain-50-hectare-pilot-proposal-2026.md), [Français](https://newsverum.com/fr/news/nigeria-lokoja-cassava-value-chain-50-hectare-pilot-proposal-2026.md), [Español](https://newsverum.com/es/news/nigeria-lokoja-cassava-value-chain-50-hectare-pilot-proposal-2026.md), [Deutsch](https://newsverum.com/de/news/nigeria-lokoja-cassava-value-chain-50-hectare-pilot-proposal-2026.md), [Português](https://newsverum.com/pt/news/nigeria-lokoja-cassava-value-chain-50-hectare-pilot-proposal-2026.md) *The source does not state the event date; the period shown is the source review period.* Federal University Lokoja and Nigeria’s Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC) held preliminary talks on developing the cassava value chain, according to a council report published on October 3. The discussion followed a visit by a university delegation to RMRDC headquarters in Abuja; the source describes a possible collaboration, not a signed agreement. The university representatives proposed a five-phase pilot on 50 hectares, covering garri, ethanol, high-quality cassava flour, chips and animal feed. A delegate said Nigeria loses about US$654 million a year to cassava imports and converts less than 15% of its cassava into high-quality flour; the report gives no reference years or independent methodology for those claims. RMRDC encouraged a wider proposal including cassava bioenergy, but no funding, construction or production start was announced. ## Data ### Cassava figures and pilot proposal reported by the source National market figures and 50-hectare proposal presented by the university delegation in the RMRDC report. Methodology: Figures are attributed to Federal University Lokoja representatives in the RMRDC report dated October 3, 2026. The year behind the annual import-loss estimate and the under-15% conversion claim is not specified. Fifty hectares is the proposed pilot area. These are not presented as independently verified results or a completed project. | Indicator | Value | Unit | Source qualification | |---|---|---|---| | Estimated annual loss linked to cassava imports | 654 | million USD | Source-reported national estimate; annual period and method not specified. | Sources: · Download data: [JSON](https://newsverum.com/api/v1/articles/nigeria-lokoja-cassava-value-chain-50-hectare-pilot-proposal-2026/data/lokoja-cassava-value-chain-source-figures-1?lang=en&format=json) · [CSV](https://newsverum.com/api/v1/articles/nigeria-lokoja-cassava-value-chain-50-hectare-pilot-proposal-2026/data/lokoja-cassava-value-chain-source-figures-1?lang=en&format=csv) ### Cassava figures and pilot proposal reported by the source National market figures and 50-hectare proposal presented by the university delegation in the RMRDC report. Methodology: Figures are attributed to Federal University Lokoja representatives in the RMRDC report dated October 3, 2026. The year behind the annual import-loss estimate and the under-15% conversion claim is not specified. Fifty hectares is the proposed pilot area. These are not presented as independently verified results or a completed project. | Indicator | Value | Unit | Source qualification | |---|---|---|---| | Share converted into high-quality cassava flour | 15 | percent | University speaker said less than this share is converted; reference year not specified. | Sources: · Download data: [JSON](https://newsverum.com/api/v1/articles/nigeria-lokoja-cassava-value-chain-50-hectare-pilot-proposal-2026/data/lokoja-cassava-value-chain-source-figures-2?lang=en&format=json) · [CSV](https://newsverum.com/api/v1/articles/nigeria-lokoja-cassava-value-chain-50-hectare-pilot-proposal-2026/data/lokoja-cassava-value-chain-source-figures-2?lang=en&format=csv) ### Cassava figures and pilot proposal reported by the source National market figures and 50-hectare proposal presented by the university delegation in the RMRDC report. Methodology: Figures are attributed to Federal University Lokoja representatives in the RMRDC report dated October 3, 2026. The year behind the annual import-loss estimate and the under-15% conversion claim is not specified. Fifty hectares is the proposed pilot area. These are not presented as independently verified results or a completed project. | Indicator | Value | Unit | Source qualification | |---|---|---|---| | Proposed Federal University Lokoja pilot area | 50 | hectares | Proposed pilot size disclosed by the university delegation; not a completed project. | Sources: · Download data: [JSON](https://newsverum.com/api/v1/articles/nigeria-lokoja-cassava-value-chain-50-hectare-pilot-proposal-2026/data/lokoja-cassava-value-chain-source-figures-3?lang=en&format=json) · [CSV](https://newsverum.com/api/v1/articles/nigeria-lokoja-cassava-value-chain-50-hectare-pilot-proposal-2026/data/lokoja-cassava-value-chain-source-figures-3?lang=en&format=csv) ## Sources - [Raw Materials 360 (Raw Materials Research and Development Council)]() (Source checked: 2026-10-20; Published: 2026-10-03) --- Cite the canonical URL above. [Editorial standards and corrections](https://newsverum.com/en/editorial)