Author: Adewale Kupoluyi

The Bank of Industry and the Raw Materials Research and Development Council have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to strengthen Nigeria’s agricultural value chain and drive economic growth. According to a statement, the agreement, aims to enhance value addition across key agricultural commodities and raw materials while addressing bottlenecks in production, processing, and distribution. Both institutions said the partnership followed extensive engagements and would tackle challenges across harvesting, post-harvest losses, seedlings, cultivation, storage, processing, packaging, logistics, and marketing. The initiative also aligns with efforts to reduce post-harvest losses, promote import substitution, improve Gross Domestic Product, create jobs, and boost entrepreneurship and industrial capacity. To drive…

Despite growth projections in the global cocoa and coffee sectors, African farmers said they are facing worsening economic conditions, warning that the industry’s expansion is masking a deep and persistent crisis at the production level. The Cocoa and Coffee Farmers Alliance Association of Africa (COCEFAAA) has equally called for urgent global intervention, arguing that farmers across West, East, and Central Africa are bearing the brunt of extreme price volatility, even as global markets surge toward historic valuations. In a statement by the Global President, COCEFAAA, Adeola Adegoke, the cocoa and coffee industries are entering a period of strong long-term growth, noting that…

Some local farmers have decried the increased importation of rice, a situation they claim, is crippling Nigeria’s local production. The farmers disclosed this in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria in Lagos. NAN reports that local rice production has declined since the Federal Government’s import duty waiver on rice and other essential commodities in 2024. The Acting Chairman of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria, Lagos State, and a rice farmer, Mr. Shakin Agbayewa said local farmers had been suffering since the increase in rice importation. “With the renewal of the import waiver on rice and other essential commodities,…

To tackle food insecurity and rural unemployment, the National Agricultural Land Development Authority has commissioned a 5,000-hectare farm estate in Ora, Ifelodun Local Government Area of Kwara State, with projections to directly and indirectly impact about 10,000 livelihoods. Speaking during the launch of the project, the Executive Secretary of NALDA, Cornelius Adebayo, said the initiative forms part of a broader national strategy under the administration of President Bola Tinubu to boost food production, create jobs, and curb insecurity through agriculture. Adebayo explained that the farm estate model, which clusters farmers within a secured and structured environment, is designed to enhance productivity while addressing…

Unemployment continues to be a major concern for young people in Nigeria, with many graduates struggling to find stable and rewarding jobs. At the same time, agriculture remains one of the most promising, yet underutilised sectors in the country. The integration of technology into agriculture is a game-changer that can significantly transform youth participation and make farming more attractive, profitable, and sustainable. Agriculture, which some people see as a labour-intensive and an outdated profession, is now evolving due to technological advancements. Tools such as drones, mobile applications, and smart farming systems are redefining how farming is done, making it more efficient and…

 The Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), has urged the Federal Government to swiftly address the structural bottlenecks in food supply chains, as food inflation continues to exert significant pressure on household welfare. This was contained in a press statement on Inflation Rebound, Business Presure, and Poverty Risks, issued by the Director-General of LCCI, Dr. Chinyere Almona.Almona noted that the body observed the uptick, largely driven by increase food inflation, 14.31% and transport cost, 16.9%, as well as a rise in core inflation to 16.21%, which reflects renewed underlying price pressure within the economy, saying that there is urgent need to…

Unemployment remains one of the most pressing challenges facing young people today, especially in developing countries like Nigeria. Every year, thousands of graduates enter the labour market with high hopes, only to encounter limited job opportunities. In my view, one of the most practical and sustainable solutions to this growing problem is youth involvement in farming. Agriculture, often underestimated and overlooked, holds immense potential, not just for food production, but for employment generation and economic transformation in many ways. First, farming offers immediate and accessible employment opportunities. Unlike many white-collar jobs that require years of specialised training or limited vacancies,…

The President of the Association of Waste Managers of Nigeria, Dr. Olugbenga Adebola, has called on the government to establish a strong policy to guarantee investment in the waste disposal sector. Adebola noted this during a recent event in Lagos, hosted by the Property and Environment Writers Association of Nigeria. He said, “It is not just about money, because there is a lot of policy inconsistency and that is where we are. We are where we are. So, everything should be good, and it should be used by the private sector. The government has no business being in business. The government in…

Policymakers, researchers, and development partners have charted a coordinated pathway for transforming Nigeria’s agri-food system, with a strong push for aligning policy, evidence, and implementation to deliver measurable impact. They converged at a recent policy dialogue in Abuja, organised by the International Food Policy Research Institute, the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, and other partners, which brought together representatives from more than seven federal ministries, including Agriculture and Food Security, Water Resources, Women Affairs and Social Development, as well as Youth Development. Speaking at the session, Country Programme Leader, IFPRI-Nigeria, Oliver Kirui, said the engagement came at a critical moment…

The Nigerian Meteorological Agency has warned of thunderstorms, rainfall, and strong winds across parts of the country on Monday, April 13, urging residents and operators to take safety precautions. In its forecast released, NiMet said northern states will experience sunny conditions in the morning, with isolated thunderstorms over Adamawa and Taraba expected later in the day. It added that hot and sunny conditions will prevail in most areas during the morning, before giving way to localised rainfall, lightning, and gusty winds in the afternoon and evening. For the central region, the agency projected cloudy conditions in the morning with intervals of sunshine,…