Nigeria woos investors to tackle food insecurity
The Federal Government has made further calls to attract European investment into Nigeria’s cold chain infrastructure as part of a broader strategy to address food insecurity.
This was a key focus at the 2025 edition of the Agrofood & Plastprintpack Nigeria Exhibition and Conference, held at the Landmark Event Centre in Lagos from March 25 to 27, 2025.
Dignitaries and senior officials from Germany, Poland, and the Netherlands joined Nigerian government representatives at the event to discuss urgent solutions to Nigeria’s food insecurity. Reports indicate that over 30 million Nigerians are currently affected by food insecurity.
The Minister for Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari, represented by the Ministry’s Lagos State coordinator Omolara Abimbola-Oguntuyi, emphasised the need for foreign investors to tap into Nigeria’s cold chain industry.
“The Federal Government is committed to ensuring food availability, accessibility, and nutritional quality,” he said.
Kyari added that Nigeria is implementing policies to enhance agricultural productivity, improve market access for farmers, and ensure equitable resource distribution.
Stakeholders at the event noted that despite producing approximately 65 million tonnes of food annually, Nigeria loses 40 per cent due to inadequate cold storage infrastructure. This results in economic losses estimated at N3.5tn.
The experts argued that the agricultural sector could become highly profitable with proper investment while significantly improving food security.
The Consul-General of Germany in Nigeria, Weert Borner, reaffirmed Germany’s commitment to supporting Nigeria’s agrofood sector, stating, “Nigeria is one of six Sub-Saharan countries prioritised for intensified agricultural cooperation. Germany, both at the government and private sector levels, is working with Nigeria on political, scientific, and economic agricultural matters.”
Meanwhile, Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, represented by Secretary to Lagos State Government Abimbola Salu-Hundeyin, underscored the importance of the event, given Nigeria’s projected population growth.
He said, “By 2050, Nigeria will be Africa’s largest consumer market. Lagos remains a hub for agribusiness, food processing, and manufacturing due to its strategic location and expanding industrial base.”
The Consul-General of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Michel Deelen, highlighted his country’s long-standing partnership with Nigeria in agrofood and affirmed the Netherlands’ commitment to facilitating significant opportunities to boost Nigeria’s agricultural sector.
Other key speakers included the President of the Organisation for Technology Advancement of Cold Chain in West Africa, Alexander Isong, and the Ambassador-Designate of the Republic of Poland, Michal Cygan.
The Agrofood & Plastprintpack Nigeria event, organised by Fairtrade Messe, celebrated its 10th anniversary in 2025.
Managing Director of Fairtrade Messe, Paul Marz, noted that the exhibition has become a hub for innovation, collaboration, and growth in Nigeria’s agro-food and manufacturing sectors, attracting exhibitors from Europe, Asia, and Africa.
