30 Oct 2025

Earlier Today in Abuja, I attended the Sahel Food Systems Changemakers Conference 2025, organised by Sahel Consulting, themed “Designing for Legacy: Building Resilient and Impact-Driven Food Systems.” I listened keenly to inspiring insights from development leaders who spoke on the need for partnerships to evolve for lasting impact, from Sahel Chairman Mezue Nwuneli, Keynote Speaker Ndidi Nwuneli (CEO, ONE Campaign); Inga Stefanowicz (Head of Section, Green Economy, EU Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS); Michael Ojo (Country Director, Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition – GAIN); Dr Hussaini Abdu (Country Director, CARE International); Lekan Tobe (Country Director, Heifer International); and Oladoyin Olawaiye (Deputy Country Director, GIZ). During my remarks, I reiterated that no Nigerian should go to bed hungry. Nigeria, blessed with vast arable land and human capital, should not be listed among the hungriest countries of the world. Instead, we should be sufficient and exporting. I used Bangladesh as an example of what our rice production should be. Bangladesh, with 148,600 km² of land, which is about the size of our 2 largest states, Niger and Borno, produces almost ten times more rice than Nigeria. This reality reflects our misplaced priorities, not a lack of capacity, but a lack of commitment and Leadership focus. While at the event, I also visited several remarkable food stands showcasing local innovation and resilience, including AACE Foods, which employs over 160 Nigerians; SEM Food and Prices; Dmore Foods; and CHC Agritech Africa. Their work reinforces the truth that Nigeria’s progress depends on supporting MSMEs and strengthening our agricultural value chain. It is time for Nigeria to realise that we can earn more from agriculture than from oil. For Nigeria to rise, we must move from consumption to production, from dependency to productivity, and from rhetoric to action. Our farmers, entrepreneurs, and innovators are ready, the government must simply create the enabling environment for our youths and for our nation. A New Nigeria is POssible. -PO