The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) Investment Centre has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting Nigeria in attracting investments across the agricultural value chain to boost productivity, strengthen food security and promote sustainable economic growth.
The commitment was reiterated during a meeting with the Honourable Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari, CON, in Rome, Italy, where discussions focused on strengthening collaboration between the Nigerian government, investors and development finance institutions to accelerate agricultural development.
The meeting provided an opportunity to review ongoing investment engagements and explore strategies for mobilising funding to support agricultural transformation in Nigeria.
Among the key areas discussed was the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development’s (EBRD) entry into Nigeria, alongside World Bank support for the AgriConnect initiative and FAO’s technical assistance for the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones (SAPZ) programme.
These initiatives are expected to support the development of agricultural infrastructure, improve value addition and attract private-sector participation in Nigeria’s agricultural sector.
Participants also examined opportunities to expand domestic agricultural processing, promote anchor investments, advance digital agriculture and strengthen integrated infrastructure to improve efficiency across agricultural value chains.
The discussions emphasised the importance of establishing stronger connections between agricultural production areas and processing zones to minimise post-harvest losses, improve market access and increase the value of locally produced agricultural commodities.
The FAO Investment Centre noted that despite the investment opportunities available in Nigeria’s agricultural sector, investors remained concerned about foreign exchange volatility, policy predictability and access to long-term financing.
Addressing these challenges was identified as essential to building investor confidence, attracting more private capital and creating a more favourable environment for agricultural businesses to thrive.
The meeting also explored opportunities to strengthen the Bank of Agriculture and the National Agricultural Development Fund to improve access to agricultural financing and support investments across different segments of the sector.
Improved coordination among government institutions, development partners and financial organisations was also highlighted as a critical factor in identifying viable agricultural investment opportunities and connecting them with potential investors.
The renewed commitment by the FAO Investment Centre underscores the importance of international partnerships in mobilising the financial and technical resources required to modernise Nigeria’s agricultural sector.
With sustained collaboration, improved financing mechanisms and a more predictable investment environment, the initiatives discussed are expected to support agribusiness development, create employment opportunities, strengthen domestic food production and contribute to Nigeria’s long-term food security and economic growth.
