Lagos:Stakeholders in Nigeria’s agricultural sector are urging stronger collaboration among farmers, processors, financiers, logistics operators, and markets to enhance the country’s domestic food production system. This call was made during the Nigerian-British Chamber of Commerce (NBCC) agriculture advocacy roundtable held in Lagos.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria, participants at the event highlighted storage, logistics, processing, financing, and market access as key areas for investment that could strengthen domestic food production and create economic value. Lagos State Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Systems, Ms. Abisola Olusanya, emphasized that many agricultural challenges are not production-related but stem from businesses not achieving sufficient scale. She stressed the need for an integrated supply chain to address these issues.
Olusanya pointed out that a disconnect between production and markets often leaves farmers, processors, investors, transporters, and consumers without adequate coordination. She noted that despite having the resources and market demand, challenges such as aggregation, quality control, financing, transportation, and storage hinder the connection between production and the market. The ‘Produce for Lagos’ initiative in Lagos State illustrates the importance of linking high-production areas with major consumption centers.
Mr. Abimbola Olashore, NBCC President, underscored the need for a comprehensive approach to building a resilient domestic production system. He called for greater collaboration among various stakeholders, including technology firms, to enhance the efficiency of the entire supply chain. Investment in infrastructure like storage, processing, and cold-chain systems was also identified as crucial to reducing losses and improving product movement from farms to consumers.
Mr. Babatunde Odunayo from the Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS) noted that fiscal reforms are underway to support local processing and supply-chain resilience, offering tax incentives to agricultural enterprises. Meanwhile, Mr. Abubakar Bello of the Nigeria Export-Import Bank (NEXIM) highlighted storage and transportation as significant constraints and advocated for value-added exports over raw commodity trading. Bello also encouraged the development of special agro-industrial zones and cold-storage hubs through public-private partnerships to boost productivity.
These discussions underline a collective push towards strengthening Nigeria’s agricultural sector through strategic partnerships and investments, aiming for a more sustainable and economically viable future.