Stakeholders in Nigeria’s agricultural sector have called for the adoption of digital technologies, stronger partnerships and enabling government policies to transform agriculture, improve food security and position the country as a leading producer and exporter of innovative agricultural solutions.
The call was made at the Digital Agricultural Ecosystem Forum 2026, organised by the Farm-to-Table Digital Innovation Programme in partnership with the Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI), the University of Abuja Centre for Entrepreneurship Studies, Innovo and Crescentia Limited, with support from the German Development Cooperation (GIZ) and the European Union.
Speakers at the forum said while Nigeria has access to emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), precision farming, the Internet of Things (IoT), drone technology, remote sensing and digital marketplaces, the country’s major challenge remains scaling these innovations to benefit millions of farmers across the agricultural value chain.
Delivering a goodwill message on behalf of the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, represented by Deputy Director Ogbodo Collins ministry said agriculture remains the backbone of Nigeria’s economy but continues to face challenges including climate variability, low productivity, poor extension services, inadequate access to finance, fragmented value chains and significant post-harvest losses.
The ministry stressed that technology alone would not transform agriculture unless it solved real-life problems and was supported by policies, financing, research, innovation and collaboration among government, academia, financial institutions and the private sector.
“Digital transformation is not achieved simply by introducing new technologies. Innovation succeeds only when it is accessible, affordable, trusted and supported by an enabling ecosystem,” the minister said.
He noted that Nigeria must move beyond consuming imported technologies and instead become an active developer, adopter and exporter of digital agricultural innovations capable of competing globally.
According to him, the country has already demonstrated that digital agriculture works through several pilot projects, adding that the next challenge is scaling successful innovations through clear policies, reliable digital infrastructure, affordable financing and stronger collaboration between researchers and industry.
Speaking at the forum,Director General the Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI) Agabaidu Jideani, described digital innovation as essential to addressing long-standing problems confronting Nigeria’s agricultural sector.
The chamber said despite agriculture’s enormous contribution to employment and economic growth, farmers continue to grapple with poor market access, inadequate financing, climate-related risks and post-harvest losses.
According to the ACCI, digital tools including AI, drones, precision agriculture, remote sensing and data analytics are already helping farmers across the world increase productivity, reduce waste and improve profitability.
“As a private sector institution, our responsibility is to ensure these innovations move beyond research laboratories and become practical tools accessible to Nigerian farmers and agribusinesses,” the chamber stated.
The forum also marked the launch of the *Farm-to-Table Digital Innovation Hub*, a collaborative platform designed to connect farmers, researchers, innovators, start-ups, investors, development partners and policymakers.
The hub will provide business incubation, innovation support, digital agriculture solutions, entrepreneurial training, investment matchmaking, rapid hardware prototyping, digital marketplace services and technology transfer to strengthen Nigeria’s agricultural value chain.
Organisers said the initiative aims to bridge the gap between research and commercial application while helping innovators develop practical and scalable solutions for farmers across the country.
Also speaking, the Director of Agriculture development at the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN), Ime Andy, whose goodwill message was delivered by a representative, said digital agriculture offers Nigeria an opportunity to diversify its economy beyond oil and gas while creating jobs for young people.
He said Nigeria’s growing population and rapid urbanisation require a modern agricultural system driven by innovation, research and technology.
According to her, SMEDAN has partnered with public and private institutions to establish greenhouse projects, demonstration farms and enterprise development programmes while implementing its GROW Nigeria strategy to support agri-based micro, small and medium enterprises.
She pledged the agency’s continued support for initiatives that strengthen entrepreneurship, improve food production and promote wealth creation through agriculture.
Participants at the forum also highlighted the importance of digital traceability in improving Nigeria’s access to international agricultural markets.
Representatives of the Cassava Growers Association of Nigeria, Mustapha Uthman said the association has begun building a digital database of farmers by collecting biometric and farm location data to improve traceability and market confidence.
They explained that one of the biggest barriers to agricultural exports is the inability of international buyers to verify where products originate.
According to the association, digitising farmer records and mapping farms would allow buyers to trace produce to specific locations, identify production methods and improve compliance with international food safety standards.
The association disclosed that while it has over 266,000 registered cassava farmers nationwide, only about 8,500 have so far been fully digitised because of funding and logistics constraints.
It called for greater investment in farmer sensitisation, digital infrastructure and institutional partnerships to scale the initiative across the country.
Discussions at the forum also focused on reducing post-harvest losses through digital platforms capable of integrating transportation, storage, market access and supply chain management.
News Credit to our media partner Daily Trust .
