Nigeria Ramps Up Youth-Led Agribusiness To Strengthen Food Security
By SANI BATURE
THE Federal Government has announced plans to intensify youth agripreneurship initiatives as part of efforts to transform Nigeria’s food systems and boost food security. Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Sen. Abubakar Kyari, disclosed this at a youth agripreneurs workshop in Abuja, organised by the LIFE-ND Project.
Kyari noted that young Nigerians are already pioneering innovation in the agrifood sector, leveraging technologies such as precision agriculture, AI-driven tools, soilless farming, digital marketplaces, and modern agro-processing systems. Despite these advancements, he said youth participation remains inconsistent due to obstacles like limited access to land, finance, markets, and processing infrastructure.
He said the government is committed to changing this narrative by scaling up support systems that unlock land and productive assets for young farmers while guaranteeing secure land tenure. Kyari added that President Bola Tinubu has repositioned agriculture as a key driver of economic transformation, expanding youth-led agribusiness models and digital linkages between farmers, finance, and markets.
The minister urged stakeholders to foster collaboration and create an inclusive environment where young people—especially women, persons with disabilities, and marginalised groups—can participate meaningfully in agriculture.
Permanent Secretary Dr. Marcus Ogunbiyi said the initiative aligns with the government’s agenda to turn agriculture into a wealth-creating sector driven by innovation and enterprise. IFAD Country Director, Dede Ekoue, reaffirmed support for youth-focused agripreneurship programmes, while Sahel Consulting’s Temi Adegoroye emphasised the central role of young people in driving food systems transformation.
LIFE-ND National Project Coordinator, Dr. Abiodun Sanni, revealed that the project has trained over 29,600 youths and women across key value chains including cassava, rice, oil palm, poultry, horticulture, and aquaculture, providing start-up capital and agro-processing support for viable agribusiness ventures.
