By Abah Benjamin Eneojoh
Lokoja
October 6, 2026
Kogi State Governor, Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo, has pledged to protect cashew farmers and investors in the state from exploitation, multiple taxation and illegal revenue collection, describing cashew as a major economic asset with enormous potential to generate foreign exchange and create thousands of jobs.
Governor Ododo made the commitment on Tuesday when he received stakeholders in the Kogi cashew industry at the Government House, Lokoja, where he acknowledged the growing contribution of cashew farming to employment generation and economic development in the state.
The governor noted that the expansion of cashew farming had taken many young people off the streets by providing them with legitimate means of livelihood, while commending the leadership of the stakeholders for their continued support and partnership with his administration.
He stressed that cashew is a high-value export commodity capable of attracting significant foreign exchange into Kogi State and Nigeria, insisting that farmers and other legitimate operators in the sector must be protected from exploitation.
Ododo, however, warned illegal revenue collectors to stay away from legitimate businesses, declaring that his administration would not hesitate to clamp down on anyone operating outside the approved revenue collection system.
He directed the Kogi State Internal Revenue Generation Service (KGIRS) to address the issue of multiple taxation and illegal revenue collection affecting cashew farmers, noting that such practices were detrimental not only to businesses but also to government revenue, as the state was deprived of funds that should legitimately accrue to its coffers.
According to him, his administration would continue to block revenue leakages and strengthen the state’s revenue system to ensure that public resources are properly accounted for and utilised for development.
The governor also expressed optimism that Kogi cashew would soon be traded in dollars, saying such a development would significantly enhance the value and global competitiveness of the state’s cashew industry.
Ododo further described Kogi as having some of the best cashew produce in West Africa and assured stakeholders that his administration would continue to support policies and initiatives aimed at strengthening the entire cashew value chain, from production and processing to marketing and export.
The Director-General of the Kogi State Commodity Exchange, Export Promotion and Market Development Agency (KOSCEPA), Hon.. Adewale Victor Omofaiye, expressed appreciation to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for what he described as his support for cashew farmers, while also commending Governor Ododo for his commitment to agriculture and the development of the cashew sector.
Similarly, the Chairman, Kogi State Committee on Cashew Export and Investment, Dr. Idris Yakubu, said the governor’s support had strengthened confidence among farmers and other stakeholders in the industry.
Yakubu noted that the cashew value chain had enormous potential to create employment, attract investment and contribute significantly to the state’s economy.
He, however, identified security as one of the key factors requiring sustained attention to guarantee the safety of farmers, farms and investments across the state.
The stakeholders also appealed to the governor to intensify efforts to stop illegal revenue collection and multiple taxation, urging the government to ensure that only duly recognised revenue offices and authorised officials collect levies from cashew farmers and operators.
Representing Kogi Central, Abdulkarim Shuaib called for improved logistics and infrastructure to enable the state maximise the benefits of multi-million-dollar investments in the cashew industry.
He also appealed for improved electricity supply in major cashew-producing areas to support processing and other activities along the value chain.
A representative from Kogi East, Alhaji Suleiman Mohammed Kabir, raised concerns over multiple taxation, while stakeholders from Kogi West highlighted the extensive presence of cashew farming at the grassroots and called for continued government support to unlock the sector’s full economic potential.
