Nigeria Hosts Africa Agriculture Dialogue 2025, Pushes for Financing Reforms in Agriculture
By Faridat Salifu
Nigeria has successfully hosted the Africa Agriculture Dialogue (AAD) 2025, a high-level continental event focused on unlocking financing for agricultural transformation across the continent.
The two-day event, held at the State House Banquet Hall, Abuja, on October 7–8, brought together senior government officials, agribusiness leaders, development partners, financial institutions, and farmer representatives under the theme:
“Unlocking Finance for Agricultural Transformation in Africa.”
Speaking at the event, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Livestock Development, Idris Ajimobi, described the dialogue as a timely intervention to address the chronic financing gaps in Africa’s agricultural sector.
“Lack of financing remains a major constraint to agricultural growth across Africa,” Ajimobi said. “Hosting AAD 2025 gave us a unique platform to explore innovative financing models to drive productivity and ensure food security.”
The event, which precedes the annual World Food Prize ceremony in the United States, served as a strategic platform for Africa to shape and project its agricultural financing priorities on the global stage.
Ajimobi also spotlighted the National Livestock Master Plan (N-LMP) as a key government initiative aimed at transforming Nigeria’s livestock sector. The five-year plan, developed with international partners, focuses on improved breeding, animal health, market access, and investment incentives.
Richard-Mark Mbaram, Special Adviser to the Minister of Livestock Development, described the dialogue as a bold step toward repositioning Africa’s agricultural narrative globally.
“AAD captures and projects Africa’s agricultural stories, ensuring that the continent’s challenges, innovations, and ambitions are visible,” he said.
Mbaram commended President Bola Tinubu’s administration for taking decisive actions to transform the sector, including the declaration of a state of emergency on food security.
He urged the media to play a greater role in reporting ongoing agricultural reforms, many of which, he noted, are not yet widely publicised.
The dialogue concluded with renewed commitments from stakeholders to invest in Africa’s agricultural future and strengthen collaboration for rural transformation and food system resilience.
