Agric Expo targets value addition for women, youth farmers

The Nigeria International Agriculture Expo (NIAEXPO 2025) is set to spotlight the country’s agricultural potential on the global stage, with this year’s edition introducing new features to celebrate farmers, empower women entrepreneurs, and strengthen agribusiness value chains.

Speaking at a press briefing, Project Coordinator of NIAEXPO, Abiodun Olaniyi, said the annual event is designed to position Nigeria as a key player across the agricultural spectrum, upstream, midstream, and downstream, while tackling critical challenges such as post-harvest losses, poor input utilization, and inefficiencies in distribution.

“In the last edition, we hosted visitors from more than 10 countries, including Russia, India, the U.S., Estonia, and China. But beyond international participation, our passion remains to project Nigeria by strengthening small businesses, integrating knowledge, and addressing gaps in agro-logistics, digital agriculture, and the supply chain”, Olaniyi noted.

He revealed that this year’s expo will feature dedicated sessions on livestock, finance, organic agriculture, and agroecology, while highlighting underexplored crops such as broccoli, flowers, and moringa.

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Regional Project Lead for NIAEXPO, Adekunle Adamson, emphasized inclusivity as a key driver of the 2025 edition. He announced the introduction of a Farmers’ Day, designed to recognize farmers’ contributions while providing them with training opportunities.

“We have mobilized farmers across various associations to participate. There are dedicated schemes and trainings that will equip them with knowledge to enhance both their inputs and outputs when they return to their communities”, Adamson explained.

Another highlight is the creation of a Women Entrepreneurship Hub, a platform within the exhibition that will support women and youth in agribusiness. The hub will provide guidance on product registration, packaging, marketing, and market entry strategies.

“In agriculture, women are very critical but have not been spotlighted. This year, we are ensuring that women and youth are given visibility to showcase their work, especially those from rural and subsistence farming backgrounds”, Adamson said.

The three-day expo will also feature capacity-building sessions, knowledge-sharing forums, and opportunities for international partnerships. Stakeholders across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones, as well as representatives from other African countries, are expected to attend.

Olaniyi added that NIAEXPO 2025 is not just an exhibition but a platform for inclusion, innovation, and global positioning.

“It is about building capacity, celebrating our farmers, and giving Nigeria the edge in agriculture as we move toward 2030,” he stated.