By Abdullahi Lukman
Group Managing Director of Flour Mills of Nigeria (FMN), Omoboyede Olusanya, has emphasized the critical role of the private sector in revolutionizing Nigeria’s food manufacturing sector.
He was speaking during the launch of the Nigerian Food Systems Transformation Alliance recently in Lagos.
The initiative, which aimed to drive sustainable agriculture and food security in the country, brought together food manufacturing companies, financial institutions, and supply chain stakeholders to foster collaboration and strengthen local sourcing.
Olusanya, represented by Sadiq Usman, Group Director of Strategy and Stakeholder Relations at FMN, delivered a keynote address titled “Localizing Sourcing and Globalizing Nigeria’s Food Manufacturing Companies.”
In his speech, Olusanya underscored the importance of local sourcing and the challenges Nigeria’s food industry faces in becoming globally competitive.
His address set the stage for discussions on how private sector involvement can help address these challenges and drive transformation in the nation’s food systems.
The alliance, a private-sector-led initiative, is focused on strengthening Nigeria’s agrifood supply chains, promoting strategic investments, and fostering sustainability within the food industry.
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The launch event, held in Lagos, gathered policymakers, industry leaders, financial partners, and agrifood supply chain actors to explore opportunities for the transformation of the country’s food systems.
Global Director of Value Chain Transformation at IDH, the firm that hosted the event, Kebba Colley
pointed out the need for Africa to focus not only on large-scale food processing but also on quality food production to meet the demands of its growing population.
He called on members of the alliance to work together to create Fortune Global 500 companies capable of generating significant employment opportunities across the continent.
Eniola Fabusoro, IDH Country Director for Nigeria, highlighted the alliance’s potential to unlock multi-million-dollar investments in Nigeria’s agricultural sector.
Fabusoro explained that increasing local production and adding value to agricultural products could reduce the country’s dependence on imports, citing the potential substitution of wheat with cassava as an example of a sustainable investment opportunity.
A panel discussion during the event featured key figures from the agrifood industry, including Mohammed Ibrahim, Executive Secretary of NADF; Yemisi Iranloye, CEO of Psaltry International Limited; Yosola Onanuga, Group Head of Corporate Responsibility & Sustainability at TGI Group; and Adeoluwa Adeshola, Managing Director of Arzikin Noma.
The panel addressed strategies for enhancing local food production and promoting investment in Nigeria’s agrifood sector.
Marion Moon, from the Presidential Food Systems Coordination Unit, also delivered a goodwill message, reaffirming the government’s commitment to supporting private-sector-led initiatives aimed at ensuring food security and boosting Nigeria’s economic growth.
The event witnessed the signing of a covenant, marking the commitment of all stakeholders to collaborate in the development of a sustainable, resilient food system in Nigeria.
