Abuja: Some stakeholders have intensified an awareness campaign aimed at advancing food security and accelerating Nigeria’s economic growth through value creation, export promotion, and institutional collaboration. Dr. Chinedu Amadi, Publisher of Trade Horizon Magazine, highlighted these efforts at the Nigerian Commodity Leadership and Exporters Recognition Awards (NCLERA) in Abuja.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, Amadi stated that the NCLERA recognized individuals driving national productivity and encouraged others to contribute to Gross Domestic Product (GDP) expansion. The forum featured technical discussions on improving food security, with an emphasis on enhancing production, processing, and value addition as critical components for sustaining Nigeria’s economic stability.
Amadi noted that the NCLERA awards aimed to motivate leaders who create measurable impact, promote business growth, and support national efforts to overcome financial and security challenges. The event celebrated innovators demonstrating Nigeria’s capability to produce competitively, create value, export quality products, and earn foreign exchange to strengthen the economy.
Five recipients received special recognition awards for their exceptional roles in industry development and contributions to Nigeria’s economic resilience. Amadi explained that the initiative mirrored sustainable practices from other sectors to elevate achievers and showcase models capable of transforming the country’s value-chain systems.
States supporting digital integration and institutional reforms were also honored for advancing systems that enhance transparency, productivity, and long-term economic competitiveness. Amadi commended the stakeholders for their commitment, adding that the awards serve as a gesture of appreciation to individuals and institutions making significant contributions to national development. He said the NCLERA aimed to boost Nigeria’s non-oil exports by promoting transparency, productivity, and measurable value in the trade sector.
Ms. Annabel Kamuche, Managing Director of NICERT, emphasized that Nigeria must identify crops where each state has a comparative advantage and organize farmers into clusters to boost productivity and strengthen the agricultural value chain. Kamuche pointed out that clustering farmers would facilitate the application of standard operating procedures, provide common facilities, improve mechanization, and ensure access to irrigation, extension services, and value addition.
She highlighted that preserving commodities remained a major challenge, as poor handling practices and misuse of chemicals continued to affect product quality and limit Nigeria’s competitiveness in export markets. Kamuche emphasized the need for sustainable awareness across the value chain to close knowledge gaps, improve standards, and ensure Nigerian products are accepted in export markets.
The National Secretary of the Cowpea and Beans Farmers Processors and Marketers Association of Nigeria, Mr. Isaac Ojonugwa, described the event as an encouragement for cultural and agricultural development. Ojonugwa stated that the program would help boost food security and promote the export of local commodities. He added that the event would motivate more Nigerians to engage in farming, processing, and marketing, enabling the country to compete globally in agricultural production and value addition. He also stressed that government participation in production and export is vital for earning foreign exchange.