Lagos: The launch of the Nigeria Agricultural Intelligence Platform (NAIP) is a game-changer in the nation’s agricultural revolution, the Managing Director of Pixels Solutions Ltd, Mr. Okey Udeogu, has said. Udeogu made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the platform is a transformative, technology-driven initiative designed to harness artificial intelligence and digital tools to boost agricultural production, enhance food security, and empower farmers across the country. NAN reports that the Federal Government, through the Agricultural Research Council of Nigeria (ARCN), recently unveiled the NAIP, the brainchild of Pixels, to transform research and translate innovation into tangible national development outcomes.
The innovator explained that NAIP is designed as an advisory tool to link researchers, farmers, and markets, boost credit facility access, mechanization schemes, food security, and data-driven planning, and create digital market linkages. ‘NAIP is an inclusive technology that is going to make farming attractive. For those who don’t have smartphones, they can access some level of services using USSD. It will bridge the gap of agric extension officers’ shortfall by providing guidance to farmers on new farming methods and research practices that would improve their yields and profits,’ he explained.
Udeogu said the platform, which was developed with the support of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, would drive the nation’s economic development by boosting food production and creating jobs. According to him, the initiative will redefine Nigeria’s agricultural ecosystem through smarter data use, digital connectivity, and evidence-based decision-making.
He said it would also culminate in a robust AI-driven agricultural ecosystem that empowers farmers with improved market access, enhanced food security, and sustained economic growth through the practical application of research findings. ‘The technology we have developed is a people-centred, technology-driven, and youth-powered agricultural system that will connect farmers, researchers, and policymakers for shared growth. Digital knowledge hubs will be built, NAIP will provide AI-powered advisory services, expand access to mechanization, and deploy e-extension tools that place innovation directly in the hands of farmers. We will empower farmers, strengthen food security, and position Nigeria as a leader in Africa’s agri-food transformation,’ he said.
He described the innovation as a people-centred, technology-driven, and youth-powered agricultural system. ‘NAIP is a people-centred, future-ready transformation agenda, which will give farmers the power of information, enable researchers the power of collaboration, and unlock opportunities for the youth to lead the agricultural revolution,’ he said.
Udeogu noted that the NAIP initiative aligns with the Federal Government’s National Agricultural Technology and Innovation Policy, which emphasizes research, innovation, and youth empowerment as the cornerstones of agricultural transformation. According to him, as agriculture remains the backbone of Nigeria’s economy, NAIP will change the nation’s food security narrative by unlocking its full potential through innovation and technology.
‘It is a real-time monitoring tool that provides farmers and policymakers with actionable insights for improved productivity and efficiency. The platform will serve as a national repository for agricultural data, enabling evidence-based planning, smart extension delivery, and efficient resource management across the sector,’ he added.