Former Senate Leader Victor Ndoma-Egba has called for a stronger technology-driven partnership between Nigeria and Taiwan, urging both countries to move beyond conventional trade relations towards joint innovation and investment in agriculture.
Ndoma-Egba made the call while speaking at Taiwan Smart Agriweek 2026, held at the Taipei Nangang Exhibition Centre.
His media team disclosed this in a statement issued on Friday in Abuja.
He said Taiwan’s advances in agricultural technology offered valuable lessons for African countries seeking practical solutions to food insecurity, low agricultural productivity and youth unemployment.
According to him, Taiwan demonstrates what can be achieved when knowledge, technology, innovation and enterprise are deliberately deployed to transform agriculture.
He noted that Nigeria’s vast agricultural resources, youthful population and large consumer market presented significant opportunities for deeper cooperation with Taiwan.
“The opportunity before us is to connect these advantages more deliberately with technology, investment, skills, infrastructure, research and efficient value chains. This presents a compelling opportunity for deeper Taiwan-Nigeria cooperation,” he said.
Ndoma-Egba urged both countries to move beyond buyer-seller relationships towards long-term partnerships in technology transfer, joint ventures, smart agriculture, aquaculture, agricultural processing, renewable energy, digital farming, research, skills development and agricultural finance.
He stressed that Nigeria should not merely import technologies but adapt, localize and improve them, with the long-term goal of co-creating solutions suited to African conditions while generating sustainable value for Taiwanese partners.
The former Senate leader, who is also Pro-Chancellor of the Federal University, Oye-Ekiti, emphasized the role of universities in driving technological and agricultural transformation.
He said stronger collaboration between Nigerian and Taiwanese universities could promote joint research, skills development, technology incubation, innovation and commercialization, while equipping young people with the expertise required to establish viable agricultural enterprises.
Ndoma-Egba said Africa’s food-security challenges should be viewed not only as development concerns but also as opportunities for responsible investment and innovation.
“We must build value chains that reduce post-harvest losses, improve farmers’ incomes, create jobs, expand processing capacity and strengthen resilience across the food system,” he said.
The former Senate leader, who was recently appointed Grand Patron of the Hybrid Culture, Technology and Innovation Promotion Initiative (HyCuTIPI), also encouraged Taiwanese companies, financial institutions, research organizations and technology providers to explore investment opportunities in Nigeria.
“I, therefore, invite Taiwanese companies, financial institutions, research organizations and technology providers to regard Nigeria not merely as a market, but as a long-term partner for investment, innovation and co-creation,” he said.
He commended the organizers of Taiwan Smart Agriweek for providing a platform for discussions and partnerships around agricultural technology, while also recognizing HyCuTIPI’s efforts to strengthen technology, innovation and economic ties between Nigeria and Taiwan.
Ndoma-Egba, who also chairs the advisory board of Start-Rite Schools, Abuja, said the future of agriculture was increasingly being shaped by smart technologies, digital solutions, sustainability and knowledge-based innovation.
He added that Nigeria’s private sector, universities and innovation ecosystem were well positioned to collaborate with international partners to convert emerging agricultural opportunities into sustainable economic benefits.
“May Taiwan-Nigeria economic and technological cooperation continue to flourish and may the partnership among HyCuTIPI, MY Exhibition Co., Limited and our Taiwanese partners grow from strength to strength,” he said.
The statement said the Nigerian delegation attending Smart Agriweek 2026 in Taiwan included HyCuTIPI President, Amb. David Adejuwon, and its Legal Adviser, Mr Peter Abodunrin.
Other members of the delegation were Prof. Joshua Ogunwole, Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University, Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE), and Prof. Jacob Babayemi, Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University of Agriculture and Technology, Okeho (FUNATO), Oyo State.
HyCuTIPI is a not-for-profit organization registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) to promote linkages between technology, innovation, culture and global economic opportunities in support of inclusive and sustainable development in Nigeria.
