Innovative and Inclusive Agricultural Exhibition Spotlights in Nigeria

In the heart of Abuja, the seventh edition of the Nigeria International Agriculture Expo (NIAEXPO 2025) took place on Tuesday, attracting stakeholders from various sectors. The event, organised by Autodex Nigeria Ltd., aimed to showcase Nigeria's agricultural potential and promote innovations by Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs).

Dr. Rohit Berry, Chairman of Contec Global Agro Limited (CGAL), was among the notable attendees. He urged the Federal Government to support agro-initiatives to unlock Nigeria's vast arable land for sustainable food production. Berry promotes biological products to boost food security and reduce health risks from chemical farming, having established over 250,000 demonstration farms across the country and registering the products with NAFDAC. CGAL has developed 23 bio-products to fight crop diseases such as rice blight, tuta absoluta, armyworm, and black pod disease.

The event also addressed organic farming, genetically modified organisms (GMOs), and strategies to revive Nigerian agriculture. Dr. Mohammed Ishaq, Executive Director of the National Cereal Research Institute (NCRI), highlighted the institute's development of new rice varieties for nationwide adoption. NCRI urged stakeholders to seek licensing and collaboration to increase productivity and expand the adoption of improved seeds.

Minister of Livestock Development, Mr. Idi Maiha, reaffirmed the government's commitment to repositioning the livestock sector for global competitiveness. The ministry has developed the Nigeria Livestock Growth Acceleration Strategy (NL-GAS) to grow the livestock sector from 32 billion dollars in 2025 to 74 billion dollars by 2035.

Mr. Abiodun Olaniyi, Project Coordinator of NIAEXPO 2025, expressed confidence that the event would foster stronger partnerships across the value chain. He also mentioned a wide range of innovations from SMEs and MSMEs, including organic farming practices, agroecology models, and locally assembled electric vehicles for agro-logistics by firms like Simba. Olaniyi believes that these steps are important toward solving challenges in the agricultural value chain.

The expo featured discussions with AfriExim Bank and U.S. Exim Bank, who addressed export financing and challenges facing Nigerian products in global markets. The inclusion of persons with disabilities in this year's edition showed the organisers' commitment to inclusivity.

Looking ahead, the Farm, Machinery, Food, Agro Technology Expo and Conference (FAMFATEC) will return in November, hosted by Autodex Nigeria Ltd. Tony Ifeakandu, Managing Director of Autodex Nigeria Ltd., showcased a locally assembled electric tricycle at the expo, aimed at providing affordable transport solutions for farmers.

The 2026 edition of the expo will be part of the Africa FARMTECH Expo Kenya & Eastern Africa Edition, held at the Sarit Expo Centre in Nairobi, Kenya, from July 15 to 17, 2026. Olaniyi expressed confidence that the 2026 edition would expand the scope of the expo and deliver greater impact across the value chain.

NIAEXPO 2025 and FAMFATEC serve as significant platforms for Nigeria's agricultural sector, fostering collaboration, innovation, and sustainable practices to unlock the country's agricultural potential and achieve its 2030 agricultural vision.