Abuja: Mr Abiodun Olaniyi, Project Coordinator of the Nigeria International Agriculture Expo (NIAEXPO 2025), emphasized the event’s role in showcasing Nigeria’s agricultural potential and fostering partnerships across the value chain. Olaniyi, also the Executive Director of Agriquest Africa Network, spoke at the opening of the expo’s seventh edition in Abuja, highlighting its significance in promoting agricultural innovations by Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs).
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the expo drew participants from various international locations, including Indonesia, China, India, the United States, and Canada, in addition to several Nigerian states such as Lagos and Rivers. The event provided a platform for showcasing innovations from SMEs and MSMEs, with international exhibitors presenting unique solutions like organic farming practices, agroecology models, and locally assembled electric vehicles for agro-logistics by companies like Simba.
Olaniyi noted that the 2025 edition of the expo underscored Nigeria’s potential to achieve its 2030 agricultural vision through sustainable practices and inclusive participation. The choice of Abuja as the venue aimed to attract policymakers and stakeholders nationwide. Olaniyi emphasized the importance of addressing challenges within the agricultural value chain and expressed optimism about expanding the expo’s scope in future editions.
Mr Tony Ifeakandu, Managing Director of Autodex Nigeria Ltd., highlighted his company’s showcase of a locally assembled electric tricycle aimed at providing affordable transport solutions for farmers. He announced plans for the upcoming Farm, Machinery, Food, Agro Technology Expo and Conference (FAMFATEC) in November, which will bring together stakeholders in agriculture, finance, and export.
Dr Rohit Berry, Chairman of Contec Global Agro Limited (CGAL), discussed his company’s efforts in promoting biological products to improve food security and reduce health risks associated with chemical farming. Berry highlighted the challenges posed by high chemical residues, which hinder Nigerian agricultural products’ access to international markets, and shared CGAL’s development of 23 bio-products to combat various crop diseases.
The Federal Government’s commitment to repositioning the livestock sector for global competitiveness was reaffirmed by Mr Idi Maiha, Minister of Livestock Development. The minister, represented by Dr Alike Peter, emphasized agriculture’s critical role in Nigeria’s economy and detailed the Nigeria Livestock Growth Acceleration Strategy (NL-GAS), aimed at expanding the livestock sector significantly by 2035.
Dr Mohammed Ishaq, Executive Director of the National Cereal Research Institute (NCRI), highlighted the institute’s development of new rice varieties for national adoption. He urged stakeholders to pursue licensing and collaboration to boost rice production, addressing the gap between demand and supply in Nigeria’s rice sector.