In Summary
- Africa’s cashew production is projected to see continued growth, with Côte d’Ivoire, Tanzania, Nigeria, and Benin leading the way.
- Côte d’Ivoire is expected to produce around 1.15 million tonnes of cashew nuts by the end of 2025, a 20% increase from the previous year, while Tanzania’s production is projected to reach 408,600 metric tons.
- Benin is anticipated to harvest 225,000 tonnes by the end of 2025, marking an 11.9% rise from 2023. These increases are driven by government investments, improved farming practices, and the expansion of cashew acreage.
- Purchase prices for cashew nuts are also increasing in some regions across the continent, with Côte d’Ivoire setting a price of 425 CFA francs (approximately $0.66) per kilogram for 2025.
Deep Dive!!
Africa has continued to strengthen its position as a global cashew powerhouse, accounting for more than 55% of the world’s raw cashew nut production into 2025, according to data from the African Cashew Alliance and the International Nut and Dried Fruit Council.
With a growing global demand, especially from India, Vietnam, the European Union, and China, African nations have ramped up cultivation and are increasingly investing in domestic processing to capture more value along the supply chain. Across the continent, cashew is fast becoming a strategic commodity for rural development, export diversification, and agro-industrial transformation.
However, the continent still faces critical bottlenecks. According to reports, more than 85% of cashew nuts produced in Africa are exported raw to other countries, thereby missing the opportunity for job creation, higher earnings, and industrial growth. Experts say processing capacity, infrastructure, access to finance, and market connectivity, which remain uneven across the continent, have been detrimental to Africa’s potential.
Here, we have analyzed the top 10 cashew-producing countries in Africa in 2025 based on estimated output, policy initiatives, processing performance, and export data. The aim is to spotlight both the achievements and challenges facing the continent’s cashew industry and highlight where targeted investment and innovation can unlock even greater impact.
10. Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)
Though less prominent in continental cashew headlines, DRC is a rising actor with significant untapped potential. Cashew cultivation in DRC has historically been localized, especially in provinces like Tshopo, Equateur, and Haut-Uele, but recent reports from ComCashew and FAO indicate a strong push by the Ministry of Agriculture to scale up production under the national tree crop revitalization initiative. The DRC’s vast arable land and favorable climate give it a unique comparative advantage; however, issues around infrastructure, road access, and insecurity, especially in the east have long hindered commercial-scale farming.
In 2025, the DRC government signed partnerships with development agencies like IFAD and UNIDO to support cashew nursery development and training for smallholder farmers. Pilot programs have begun in Kwilu and Kasaï regions, with an emphasis on introducing improved, high-yielding varieties. Though still in its infancy, the country’s cashew sector is projected to grow by 40% annually through 2030 if stability and policy consistency are maintained. Experts argue that DRC’s success will hinge on not just production, but building processing clusters and market access systems to compete regionally with giants like Nigeria and Ivory Coast.
9. Mozambique
Mozambique, once the world’s largest cashew producer in the 1970s, remains a significant player with 2024 production estimated at 110,000–115,000 mt, according to the African Cashew Alliance and IndexBox. Cashew production is spread across Nampula, Cabo Delgado, and Zambezia, with strong participation from smallholder farmers. However, like Guinea-Bissau, over 80% of Mozambique’s crop is exported raw, mainly to India. The government has shown renewed interest in reviving the local cashew industry, especially in value addition, through public-private partnerships.
Recent reforms include the revamping of the Mozambique Cashew Development Institute (INCAJU) and policy discussions around export levies on raw nuts to encourage processing. While a handful of shelling factories exist, most operate intermittently due to poor power supply, outdated machinery, and high transport costs. Mozambique is working with IFAD and AfDB to attract over $50 million in funding for agro-processing zones, though progress has been slow. Nonetheless, analysts note that with proper investment, Mozambique could reclaim its historic position as a cashew powerhouse.
8. Guinea‑Bissau
Guinea-Bissau is a textbook case of cashew dependence: over 90% of its export earnings come from raw cashew, and the sector employs an estimated 80% of its workforce, according to data from IndexBox and UNCTAD. In 2023, the country exported approximately 200,000 mt, mostly to India via bulk shipments. Yet domestic processing is nearly non-existent, with just one operational plant as of 2024. This extreme reliance on a single raw commodity leaves the economy highly vulnerable to global demand fluctuations and climate shocks.
Recognizing this, the government has initiated reforms with EU-backed projects aimed at stabilizing pricing and encouraging semi-processing through small shelling operations. However, political instability, lack of port infrastructure, and opaque trade systems have discouraged foreign investment in processing. Without institutional reform and long-term partnerships with agro-industrial firms, Guinea-Bissau may continue to export value rather than capture it domestically.
7. Burkina Faso
Burkina Faso’s cashew sector supports roughly 65,000 rural households cultivating over 389,000 hectares, with annual production hovering around 130,000–140,000 mt, according to ComCashew and the National Institute of Statistics and Demography (INSD). Most of these exports are raw nuts sent to Asia, while domestic processing remains small-scale and underfunded. The government’s National Program for Cashew Development aims to shift this trend by improving yields and incentivizing value addition via tax breaks and donor-funded projects.
Yet, industry players cite infrastructure bottlenecks, weak financing systems, and a lack of specialized training as primary barriers. Many processors operate below capacity due to unreliable electricity and limited access to affordable credit. Meanwhile, NGOs and agencies like the CBI (Centre for the Promotion of Imports from developing countries) have launched initiatives to improve farmer cooperatives and traceability systems. Burkina Faso has the potential to become a regional processing hub if logistics corridors and energy access improve.
6. Guinea
While Guinea is often overlooked in cashew sector statistics, the country consistently ranks among Africa’s top six producers, with an estimated production of over 150,000 t annually as of 2024. Cashew is cultivated primarily in the Boké and Kindia regions, with the government emphasizing rural participation through initiatives like PAISA (Programme d’Appui aux Initiatives du Secteur Agricole). However, the majority of Guinea’s harvest is exported unprocessed, often through informal routes, making accurate data hard to track.
Like its neighbor Guinea-Bissau, Guinea lacks the necessary agro-industrial infrastructure to process cashews at scale. The absence of organized producer cooperatives, credit support, and reliable transport networks compounds this challenge. Yet, the government’s 2025–2030 agricultural vision includes cashew processing zones and calls for investment from West African banks and ECOWAS partners to upgrade the domestic value chain. Analysts believe Guinea could capture 4x more revenue with modest investments in shelling and packaging units.
5. Ghana
Ghana’s cashew industry has seen steady expansion, with production reaching approximately 200,000 t in 2022, driven by over 400,000 smallholder farmers, particularly in the Bono, Bono East, and Ahafo regions. Government-led initiatives such as the Tree Crop Development Authority (TCDA) are pushing for diversification and modernization, with the goal of transforming Ghana into a processing hub. Processing efforts have been concentrated around Wenchi and Techiman, though most facilities remain underutilized due to capital constraints and inconsistent power supply.
Despite these initiatives, over 90% of Ghana’s cashew output is still exported raw, primarily to India and Vietnam. This raw export model undermines the country’s potential for industrial job creation and local value addition. According to data from the Ghana Export Promotion Authority (GEPA), Ghana earns significantly less per ton in raw nut exports compared to countries with developed processing systems. However, recent partnerships with GIZ and private investors are showing promise, as Ghana works toward processing at least 50,000 tonnes/year locally by 2027.
4. Benin
Benin has emerged as a regional leader in cashew growth and policy reform. With an output projected at 225,000 t in 2025, representing a 12% year-on-year increase, the country now rivals Nigeria in raw output. The government’s bold 2024 ban on raw cashew exports forced a pivot to local processing, supported by over $150 million in investment from the World Bank, AfDB, and ECOWAS to develop the Glo-Djigbé Industrial Zone (GDIZ). This facility alone is set to handle 150,000 t/year, making it one of West Africa’s largest agro-industrial zones.
Already, Benin’s export revenue rose to $110 million in 2023, according to the Ministry of Agriculture, largely from semi-processed kernels destined for Europe and Asia. The strategy is paying off: value-added exports are fetching up to 3x the price of raw nuts. The GDIZ project has created over 3,000 jobs, and the country is now…
