Stakeholders in Nigeria’s agribusiness and food systems have called for stronger linkages between agriculture, industry, and markets to unlock value chains, improve food security, and drivesustainable economic growth.

The call was made in Lagos through a communiqué issued after the American Business Council (ABC) event themed “Galvanising Transformation: Integrating Agriculture, Industry, and Markets for Sustainable Growth.”

Country Team Lead for Nigeria and Sub-Saharan Africa at the U.S. Soybean Export Council (USSEC), Mr Foluso Alabi, has urged sustained efforts to ensure food and nutrition security to improve health, productivity, and economic progress.

According to him, adequate nutrition boosts cognitive performance, reduces absenteeism, and strengthens the labour force, directly influencing national productivity.

While food security ensures availability, Alabi noted that nutrition security emphasises the quality and balance of nutrients consumed, adding that Nigeria continues to face a significant protein consumption gap.

Through initiatives such as the Right to Protein campaign, USSEC raises awareness on adequate protein intake, advocates for supportive policies, and strengthens collaborations to improve access to protein-rich foods.

He added that “a 10 per cent increase in food availability could result in a one to two per cent rise in Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth while reducing poverty and inequality.”

Alabi reaffirmed that USSEC’s Nigeria: NOW forum will continue to unite key stakeholders to drive innovation and investment across the food and nutrition value chain.

Mr Macdonald Ukah, Lead, Economic Intelligence Function, Flour Mills of Nigeria (FMN) Plc, emphasised connecting agriculture with industrial processing and market systems to unlock value, boost productivity, and strengthen food security.

Ukah pointed out that agriculture contributes about 28 per cent of Nigeria’s real GDP, serving as a vital source of livelihood for millions of rural households.

“Given Nigeria’s vast arable land and diverse agro-ecological zones, agriculture remains the most accessible economic activity for the majority of citizens,” he stated.

He stressed that transforming agriculture must begin with empowering smallholder farmers, who are the sector’s backbone.

“Our approach is to industrialise value chains, maize, soybean, cassava, by addressing yield gaps and post-harvest losses to ensure a steady supply of raw materials,” Ukah said.

Using maize as an example, he explained that Nigeria produces an average of two tonnes per hectare, less than half the global average. 

He said that doubling yields to four tonnes could meet local demand and create export surpluses under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

Ukah highlighted that yield transformation depends on investment in high-quality seeds, fertilisers, mechanisation, and indigenous research, supported by trained extension workers to promote best agronomic practices.

He further called for targeted industrial policies to stimulate agro-processing through fiscal incentives, low-cost financing, and the creation of Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones (SAPZs).

On market development, Ukah underscored the importance of efficient commodity exchanges to connect farmers with processors, stabilise prices, and reduce post-harvest losses.

He identified inadequate storage infrastructure as a major constraint, noting that Nigeria produces between 30 and 33 million metric tonnes of grains annually, but has silo capacity for only about 1.5 million tonnes.

Ukah also advocated the establishment of a national food systems data dashboard and an early warning mechanism to close information gaps and enable evidence-based planning.

He reaffirmed FMN’s commitment to building resilient value chains and promoting agriculture-led industrialisation for sustainable growth.

Mrs Nneka Enwereji, President of the American Business Council (ABC), described the event’s theme as both timely and relevant, noting that Nigeria stands at a crucial inflexion point, with vast agricultural potential, a growing industrial base, and one of Africa’s largest consumer markets.

Enwereji said the real opportunity lies in effectively connecting these elements to drive transformation.

“When agriculture, industry, and markets move in alignment, transformation, not just incremental growth, becomes possible,” she said.

Source: NAN

Image Credit: PwC Nigeria