Across cassava-producing communities, women sustain one of Nigeria’s most consumed staple foods through a layered system of labour, ownership, and machinery, where survival work continues daily under trees, makeshits shelters and within processing centres
The smell of fermented cassava hangs in the air long before the work comes into view, sharp, sour, and heavy in the morning heat.
In Gabaraku in Bida Local Government Area and Gwada in Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State, among other areas, women are already at work beneath scattered trees, sitting on bare ground with buckets, knives, and piles of cassava tubers spread around them.
A few steps away stand government-supported processing centres established under the Federal Government/ International Fund for Agricultural Development, (IFAD)-backed Value Chain Development Programme (VCDP) in the state.
They are functional with platforms, water points, and structured processing spaces. But the most visible labour is happening outside the centres.
Under the trees, the work begins
Nigeria produces more cassava than any country in the world, yet much of it is still processed by hand.
Nigeria remains the world’s largest producer of cassava, with annual output running into tens of millions of metric tonnes.
A significant portion of this is processed into garri, a staple food eaten daily across homes. In practical terms, millions of Nigerians rely on garri every day, making it one of the most consistently consumed foods in the country.
Across cassava-producing communities, women dominate the processing stage from peeling and washing to frying and drying.
In many rural clusters, they make up the overwhelming majority of the workforce, sustaining a system where production depends more on physical effort than machinery.
It is this largely unseen labour that keeps garri available in markets and homes across the country.
Economy built in layers
What unfolds is not one system, but several working at once.
Some women own cassava and bring it for processing into garri for sale.
Others do not own anything. They survive through daily labour, peeling cassava, pressing sacks, or frying garri for small payments.
A third group standing slightly apart comprises machine owners who provide grating services for a fee.
Together, they form the hidden structure behind one of Nigeria’s most consumed staple foods.
Hauwawu Under The Tree
Under a tree in Gabaraku community, 22-year-old Hauwawu sits on the bare ground, peeling cassava with steady, practiced movements.
Beside her, her four-month-old baby lies on a small cloth spread over the dust.
Around her, other women continue working with knives scraping cassava in a rhythm that does not break.
At one point during the visit, the baby is lifted briefly and held for a few minutes.
There is no pause in the work.
Moments later, the child is returned to the cloth. Hauwawu adjusts it slightly, leans forward, and continues peeling cassava as the cluster around her carries on.
Her hands do not stop.
“I don’t have anything doing,” she stated quietly, adding: “So I come out every day to peel cassava to earn something for my children.”
Halima: Years Of The Same Work
Not far from her, Halima, 45, works through her own pile of cassava, her wrapper tied tightly around her as she peels.
Her hands move steadily, though slower than the younger women around her.
“I have been doing this work for years. It is not easy, but it is what we have,” she explained.
She paused briefly to stretch her fingers before returning to the pile:
“If I don’t come out, there is no money for the day.”
Around them, cassava peels gather on the ground as dust rises in the heat.
Amina: Eight Children To Feed
Amina, a mother of eight, sits on a low stool beside a growing heap of cassava, peeling quickly as the morning heat builds.
Her work is constant, driven less by routine and more by urgency.
“I have many children to take care of,” she explained without looking up.
“If I don’t come out to work, there will be nothing at home,” she further stated.
She adjusted her wrapper and continued: “This work is what keeps us going.”
The Crushing Machine And Its Owner
At the centre of the process, the sound changes.
A machine roars as cassava is fed into it in steady batches. The machine is owned by an individual operator who charges for each use.
Women arrive with basins of peeled cassava, waiting their turn as the machine runs continuously.
Wet cassava mash spills out in thick heaps, quickly gathered by waiting hands before the next batch follows.
Some women without cassava of their own remain near the machine, assisting by feeding cassava into the grinder or carrying the mash away.
They are paid small amounts for their effort.
In the whole process, the machine owner does not peel or fry.
as his income comes from every turn of the machine.
From Pressing To Fire: The Work Does Not Slow
After grating, the cassava mash is packed into sacks and tightly pressed to remove excess water.
The liquid drains out sometimes through channels provided at the processing centres, and in other cases directly onto the surrounding ground where drainage is limited.
The mash is then left to ferment briefly before further processing.
From here, it is sieved to remove fibres and lumps, breaking it into fine granules ready for frying.
Processing takes different directions at this stage depending on use.
Some batches are taken straight to the frying stage to produce garri commonly used for making eba, a staple swallow eaten in many homes.
Others are allowed to ferment longer, developing the sour taste preferred by those who soak garri in water for drinking.
Near the frying area, Kaka, 50, stands over a wide pan, turning garri over firewood.
Smoke circles her face as heat rises sharply from the stove.
“This work needs strength,” she noted without stopping, adding: “If you are tired and you stop, the garri will burn”
She adjusted her stance slightly and continued stirring.
“We have been doing it like this for a long time,” she added.
After frying, garri is spread out to dry.
Some women use elevated platforms provided within the processing centres.
Others spread theirs on sacks or bare ground under the sun, depending on where they work.
Children move in and out of the workspace. Some helping, others sitting quietly beside their mothers.
Not all women occupy the same position in this system.
Cassava owners carry the risk and eventual profit of production.
Labourers depend on daily earnings from peeling, frying, and processing while machine owners earn from service.
But across all three, income remains uncertain.
The Price Of The Day’s Work
Gogo sits beside a sack of finished garri, tying it carefully as others prepare theirs for sale.
Her work for the moment is done, but the uncertainty remains.
“The problem is selling,” she observed, adding: “You can work all day and still not get good money.”
She tightens the sack and looks toward the others.
“Sometimes buyers come and price it low. We don’t have a choice,” she stated.
Inside And Outside The Structure
Inside the processing centres, cooperative members work with training, shared facilities, and access to organised markets under the VCDP programme.
One beneficiary, Patience Jeremiah, says the training has improved her processing methods and helped her access better market opportunities.
But just beyond the centres, independent women continue differently.
They are not part of cooperatives.
“We want to be on our own,” one woman says.
They rely on daily labour, informal buyers, and flexible arrangements that allow them to earn as they work.
Both systems exist in the same communities — side by side, but not together.
The End Of The Day
As evening approaches, the rhythm begins to slow.
Sacks of garri are tied and lifted.
Firewood smoke fades into the air just as the smell of cassava lingers across both the processing centres and the open spaces under trees.
Each sack represents hours of labour, peeling, crushing, pressing, sieving, frying, and drying and carried out through multiple hands and multiple systems.
In Nigeria’s cassava economy, garri is not just produced, it is worked into existence daily.
And under trees and inside processing centres alike, the same labour begins again when morning returns.
Anambra State Governor, Chukwuma Soludo, has called for stronger collaboration between his administration and the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria to improve healthcare delivery and tackle the circulation of counterfeit drugs.
Soludo made the call on Tuesday while declaring open the 99th Annual National Conference of the PSN at the International Convention Centre, Awka.
Welcoming delegates to the state, the governor described Anambra as “Nigeria’s pharmaceutical headquarters”.
The conference, tagged “Ijele 2026”, has the theme, ‘One health, One pharmacy: Bridging knowledge, practice and policy for national impact’.
Soludo said pharmacists played a vital role in building a healthy and productive society, urging the professional body to work with the state government to strengthen regulation and ensure safe pharmaceutical practices.
He said, “We urge pharmacists to join hands with the state government in cracking down on fake and counterfeit drugs. We also call on the leadership to police members’ operations and eliminate fake shops posing as registered pharmacies.
“Human capital remains Anambra’s greatest asset. Our major strides in public education, where reforms and free schooling from kindergarten to secondary level have slashed the out-of-school children rate to 0.25 percent, the lowest in the country.”
The governor also highlighted his administration’s efforts to improve healthcare delivery, including the revamp of primary healthcare centres and a free antenatal care programme.
He said the programme had served more than 250,000 pregnant women and supported over 900 free caesarean section deliveries.
Soludo added that work was ongoing on a dedicated pharmaceutical hub in Oba, alongside a Coordinated Wholesale Centre expected to be completed early next year.
Earlier, the President of the PSN, Ayuba Ibrahim, recalled his previous pledge to host the society’s flagship national conference in Anambra.
Ibrahim also noted that his earlier prediction of Soludo’s electoral victory had materialised, while expressing appreciation to the governor for his support for the pharmacy profession.
The society later presented an excellence award to Soludo in recognition of his support for pharmacy practice in Anambra and beyond.
The pharmaceutical sector plays a critical role in Nigeria’s healthcare system, particularly in the production, distribution and dispensing of medicines.
However, the circulation of fake and substandard drugs, unlicensed medicine outlets and poor regulatory compliance remain concerns for public health
The Pharmacists Council of Nigeria regulates the training and practice of pharmacists, as well as the registration of pharmacy premises, while the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control oversees the regulation of medicines and other regulated products.
Democrat Abdul El-Sayed has made history as the first Muslim elected to the United States Senate after defeating former Republican Representative Mike Rogers in Michigan’s closely watched midterm election.
El-Sayed’s victory, projected by US media on Tuesday, secured the seat being vacated by retiring Democratic Senator Gary Peters and marked a milestone for Muslim representation in American politics.
According to Anadolu Agency, the 42-year-old Egyptian-American former public health official will assume office when the new Congress convenes in January.
His victory followed a competitive Democratic primary in August, in which he defeated Representative Haley Stevens before securing his party’s ticket for the general election.
El-Sayed’s campaign attracted support from prominent progressive politicians, including Senator Bernie Sanders, Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Michigan Representative Rashida Tlaib.
He campaigned on expanding access to healthcare through Medicare for All, reducing housing costs, limiting the influence of wealthy donors in politics and improving economic opportunities for working families.
His position on US support for Israel also featured prominently during the campaign.
El-Sayed criticised American military assistance to Israel, described its military operations in Gaza as genocide and called for an end to unconditional US military support.
The issue generated divisions within the Democratic Party, particularly after Stevens, whom he defeated in the primary, endorsed Rogers two days before the general election.
Stevens said her decision was informed by concerns about El-Sayed’s campaign rhetoric and political associations, drawing criticism from some Democrats.
El-Sayed rejected allegations linking him to extremism, arguing that the attacks were an attempt to divert attention from the economic challenges facing Americans.
Born in Rochester Hills, Michigan, to Egyptian immigrant parents, El-Sayed studied medicine and public health before venturing into politics.
He graduated from the University of Michigan in 2007 and obtained a doctorate in public health from the University of Oxford in 2011 as a Rhodes Scholar.
He later earned his medical degree from Columbia University in 2014.
In 2015, he was appointed health director for Detroit, where he oversaw efforts to rebuild the city’s public health services following its financial crisis. He held the position until 2017.
He contested the Michigan governorship in 2018 but lost the Democratic primary to Gretchen Whitmer.
Between 2023 and 2025, he served as director of the Wayne County Department of Health, Human and Veterans Services.
His election marks a new chapter in Muslim political representation in the United States. Although Muslim Americans have previously served in the House of Representatives, none had been elected to the Senate before his victory.
Keith Ellison became the first Muslim elected to Congress in 2006, while Tlaib and Ilhan Omar made history in 2018 as the first Muslim women elected to the House of Representatives.
United States President Donald Trump has rejected suggestions that his leadership and policies contributed to Republican losses in the midterm elections, instead blaming the party’s candidates for failing to mobilise voters.
The election results, which saw Democrats win control of both the House of Representatives and the Senate on Tuesday, have raised questions about Trump’s political standing and the direction of his administration for the remainder of his term.
While members of both parties viewed the outcome as a rejection of Trump’s record in office, the President dismissed the suggestion that the results represented a setback for him.
“But I don’t view it as a hit on me,” Trump told Fox News in a live phone interview.
“We’ve had the greatest two years in the history of the presidency in terms of the economy, in terms of all the things that we’ve done.”
Trump argued that the losses were largely caused by the performance of individual Republican candidates rather than his administration’s policies, including the war in Iran and tariffs that have contributed to rising prices.
He also blamed what he described as favourable media coverage of Democratic candidates, particularly on Fox News, saying the election outcome came as only a “little surprise”.
“I thought they’d do better,” he said, referring to Republican candidates.
He later attributed the outcome to a “mood in the air”, while maintaining that his administration’s policy agenda would continue despite the Democrats’ gains in Congress.
The election followed weeks of campaigning by Trump, who travelled to Republican-leaning states to rally support for candidates, urging voters to “pretend I’m on the ballot”.
However, the strategy failed to deliver the expected results, with Trump insisting that the candidates did not do enough to attract voters.
“They just didn’t inspire the people to get out and vote,” he told Fox News.
“And I wasn’t on the ballot. If I was on the ballot, they would have got out.”
Several of the defeated candidates, including Darline Graham in South Carolina, Ken Paxton in Texas, Michael Whatley in North Carolina and Mike Collins in Georgia, had received Trump’s endorsement.
Some of the endorsements had also been made against the wishes of other Republican leaders.
Trump, however, did not acknowledge his role in selecting the candidates as he criticised their performances.
“I had no choice,” he said, defending his decision to support Paxton over incumbent Senator John Cornyn in Texas.
“When it wasn’t fashionable, he kissed my ass.”
In a post on his Truth Social platform shortly before midnight, Trump indicated that he would publicly analyse the reasons behind the party’s losses.
“I’m going to become a Political Pundit, both good and bad, on the reasons these Candidates won and lost!” he wrote.
He subsequently criticised Texas Governor Greg Abbott, describing him as a “Republican in name only” and accusing him of returning to an unsuccessful political strategy.
“He went back to his original formula, and it wasn’t pretty!” Trump wrote.
However, in an interview with Politico around the same period, the President said he was not interested in blaming anyone for the outcome.
“I just want to say, you know, it was a very interesting period of time. I watched with great interest, learned from it.”
Trump also expressed willingness to work with Democrats, who will now have greater influence over legislative decisions in Washington.
He said he had already spoken with some Democratic politicians, although he did not identify them.
“You know, I have a lot of friends that are Democrats. Believe it or not, I’ve already spoken to some of them,” he said.
The President spoke about finding areas of agreement with the opposition party, although similar promises of bipartisan cooperation following Republican losses in the 2018 midterm elections did not produce significant results.
Meanwhile, Trump dismissed suggestions that he regretted his decision to launch the war in Iran, an issue some Republicans have identified as contributing to the party’s poor electoral performance.
“I don’t think about it. I did the right thing,” he told The Wall Street Journal when asked whether he regretted the military action.
