Lagos, Nigeria – This week, Nigeria’s Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Mohammed Kyari, don call for major change on how we dey finance our agric sector to fit achieve food sovereignty. E drop this bombshell for the 2025 FirstBank Agric and Export Conference wey dem hold for Lagos. Na this conference be the big deal for promoting collaboration and innovation for agriculture and non-oil exports (talk about keeping it fresh, abi?).
Kyari wey dey represent himself through im Special Adviser, Ibrahim Alkali, emphasize say traditional credit systems don dey hold us back. “Dis na serious matter, no be wetin we go dey do for talk shop. Nigeria no fit keep dey depend on oil alone; we need to diversify our economy, and for dat, we gats get new ideas on how we dey finance agriculture,” e yarn.
Hear am well: “Traditional loans don dey out of sync with wetin dey happen for today farming and export market. Wetin we need now na performance-based financing and good connection between producers and investors. If dem fit do am for other countries, we fit do am too if we use our brain well.” (Na true talk, no be so?).
Kyari also drop some fire on how better value addition fit change everything. He dey compare raw cocoa beans wey dey earn us $700m yearly versus the serious cash wey we fit earn if we process am. Na five times the money if we sabi wetin to do, sef.
But no be only talk; he dey shine light on logistics and global standards wey dey miss for our country. “Port congestion and weak infrastructure dey hammer us. We gats ensure every export wey we pack meet international standards,” he added. Ain’t nobody got time for rejection, right?
Meanwhile, Dr. Jumoke Oduwole, wey be Minister of Industry, Talk and Investment, also get her own say as she talk say we need to transform our raw agricultural output. “If we no turn our raw products into brands, we dey miss serious opportunities. Make we build strong connections for the value chain, na im go make sense,” she boldly talk.
On top the conference wey dey ginger naija’s economic diversification, Lagso State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, don jump join the team as him talk say Lagos na the key to our export dreams. E dey push for solid infrastructure and access to finance because everything dey revolve around money (and we no wan broke again). Poor farmers ain’t gonna make a change, oboy!
And no forget the Niger State Governor, Mohammed Bago, wey don offer land for Lagos farming needs. “I dey commit 100,000 hectares of Niger land for Lagos. Na time to design farming for where e dey fit grow well – rice, cassava, or whatever. The end na to create jobs and food security!” he talk. E even dey encourage investors to explore value chain beyond just meat alone. E get better ideas in mind, sha!
As we dey gather enjoy this conference, one thing clear: Naija agriculture dey shine and all these talks need to turn to action. Otherwise, we go just dey talk talk like paddy paddy and no gum body go chop fresh yam with sauce.
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