Robust International to establish new cashew processing plant in Ogun State 

NIGERIA – Singapore-based agricultural commodities trader Robust International has announced plans to build a new cashew processing facility in Ogun State, a move expected to significantly expand Nigeria’s local processing capacity and strengthen value addition in the cashew sector. 

In a statement, the company said the new project would enable it to more than double its total cashew processing capacity in the country.  

Once fully operational, the Ogun State facility will raise Robust International’s processing capacity in Nigeria to 220 tonnes per day, up from the current 100 tonnes per day, according to company executives. 

To finance the investment, Robust International disclosed that it has secured a US$75 million debt facility from GuarantCo, a financial institution that specialises in providing credit guarantees to support private sector projects in developing markets. 

British Deputy High Commissioner to Nigeria Jonny Baxter said the financing aligns with broader efforts to promote local value addition and export growth.  

“By backing investment into local processing and value addition, this transaction supports jobs, exports and more resilient agricultural supply chains,” Baxter said. 

“Through the UK-Nigeria Enhanced Trade and Investment Partnerships and the Developing Countries Trading Scheme, the UK is supporting Nigerian businesses to scale exports to the UK and beyond.” 

While the company has not disclosed the project’s start date or construction timeline, Robust International said the investment will accelerate local cashew processing and provide an additional commercial outlet for Nigerian farmers. 

“The new facility will deliver significant benefits to the local economy, notably through the sourcing of cashew nuts from around 10,000 small-scale producers, most of whom earn low incomes,” the company said.  

It added that the plant will incorporate infrastructure to convert production residues into biomass and biofuels, strengthening the project’s environmental impact. 

Despite growing investment interest, Nigeria’s cashew processing sector continues to face structural challenges.  

Preliminary estimates from independent agribusiness advisory firm N’kalô, published in an African cashew market bulletin on February 3, show that cashew processing volumes in Nigeria declined by 17% to 50,000 tonnes in 2025. 

Over the same period, cashew nut supply in the domestic market increased by 16% to 405,000 tonnes. Nigeria produces between 250,000 and 300,000 tonnes of raw cashew nuts annually, ranking among Africa’s leading producers.  

However, less than 10% of output is processed locally, with the majority exported unprocessed to Asian and other international markets. 

Export data indicate growing momentum in cashew trade. Cashew kernel exports rose by 40.29% to US$26.851 million, while raw cashew nuts climbed to third place among Nigeria’s top exported products, reaching US$398.135 million in the first half of last year, up 81.15% year on year. 

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