The World Agriculture Forum has inaugurated its Nigeria Country Council in Abuja as part of efforts to strengthen agricultural development, improve food systems, and boost food security across the country.
The initiative is designed to promote collaboration among government, private sector actors, farmers, and development partners to support agricultural transformation, rural development, and climate resilience.
Speaking at the inauguration, the Executive Director of the World Agriculture Forum, MJ Khan, described the establishment of the council as a timely and strategic step towards transforming agriculture into a stronger driver of economic growth, social inclusion, and environmental sustainability.
He was represented by Mr Lekan Ofem, Director of Strategy and Head of Country Councils and Stakeholder Engagement.
Khan said the Nigeria Country Council will focus on strengthening collaboration, empowering farmers, supporting local innovation, and promoting sustainable agricultural development across the country.
He added that the council will also work to expand agribusiness opportunities, improve trade systems, promote agricultural technology, and serve as a national platform for knowledge sharing and public-private partnerships.
“This council will act as a bridge, unlocking investments and driving impactful initiatives. Let us seize this opportunity to build a resilient, inclusive and prosperous agricultural sector, one that creates jobs, ensures food security and contributes meaningfully to national development.”
“I congratulate Nigeria on this remarkable step forward. We look forward to working closely with you and supporting your journey towards agricultural transformation,” he said.
Representing the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Musa Umar said the inauguration aligns with Nigeria’s broader agricultural development priorities.
He said agriculture remains central to national development, food security, economic diversification, rural growth, job creation, and industrial expansion.
“As a government, our priority is clear, we are committed to building a resilient, productive, inclusive and viable agricultural system that can feed our people, create jobs, attract investment and position Nigeria as a major global player in regional and global food systems,” he said.
He further explained that government policy is now shifting from subsistence farming to agribusiness-driven productivity, with greater emphasis on value chain development, mechanisation, irrigation, quality inputs, storage systems, agro-processing, and improved market access.
“We are prioritising value chain development, mechanisation, irrigation expansion, access to quality inputs, post-harvest management, storage systems, agro processing and market linkages.”
“Let us move beyond conversations into coordinated action. Let us ensure that policy translates into productivity and productivity into prosperity,” he said.
Country Director of the World Agriculture Forum Nigeria, Alexander Isong, said the organisation’s mandate is to bridge gaps in agricultural production and improve value creation across the sector.
He said the council marks the formal establishment of the global body in Nigeria, with a focus on policy development, project implementation, funding mobilisation, and agricultural growth.
“We are going to be formulating policy, growing projects, implementing projects and funding projects for the growth of agriculture in Nigeria.”
“The only way agriculture in Nigeria can actually be resilient is if we are able to have a sustainable food system that will be able to compete with the outside world,” he said.
He added that modern agricultural development depends on strong food systems built on availability, access, utilisation, and stability, stressing that reducing post-harvest losses could significantly improve food supply and economic returns.
“Agriculture must move from fragmented production systems to coordinated market-linked ecosystems, where farmers are connected to storage, logistics, processing and markets in a seamless flow”, he said.
“We must reposition agriculture beyond farming, into logistics, into storage, processing and exports,” he said.
Also speaking, Folashade Tinubu-Ojo, represented by Chief Mrs Adimchinaka Onwukwe, said food security is now a national concern that goes beyond farming alone.
She said rising food prices, post-harvest losses, and weak supply systems continue to affect farmers, traders, and consumers across Nigeria.
“We must empower women who form a large part of the agricultural workforce and engage our youth by making agriculture more innovative, technology-driven and commercially attractive”. she said
