Lagos reaffirmed its growing influence in Africa’s agricultural technology landscape on Thursday as policymakers, innovators, and investors converged at Harbour Point, Victoria Island, for the Lagos Agrinnovation Summit 2.0 themed “Thriving Food Systems: Smart Future.” The gathering spotlighted the State’s ambition to build a modern, resilient and innovation-driven food ecosystem capable of feeding its expanding population.
Representing Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the Deputy Chief of Staff, Mr. Sam Egube, said the administration considers food security “as critical as physical security,” stressing that ensuring safe and affordable food for over 20 million residents remains “a cornerstone of government’s priorities.”
Egube described Lagos as “West Africa’s largest food market,” urging stakeholders to unlock new opportunities across agriculture and transform it into “a sector where dreams meet innovation.” He applauded financial institutions for “fueling agribusiness growth through inclusive financing and impact-driven partnerships.”
Delivering the keynote address, Mr. Abubakar Suleiman, MD/CEO of Sterling Bank, announced fresh funding pipelines for agritech and agribusiness ventures across Lagos. Suleiman noted that the bank was “moving beyond conventional lending” to invest in transformative ideas capable of strengthening the agricultural value chain.
He added that strategic government oversight remains essential “to stabilize food prices and protect consumers from exploitative market forces.”
Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Systems, Ms. Abisola Olusanya, hailed the summit as fertile ground for young innovators reshaping agriculture through digital tools, data insights and design thinking. “The future of agriculture is youthful, digital and dynamic,” she told participants, emphasizing Lagos’ sustained investments in youth-led solutions.
Throughout the panel sessions, industry experts stressed the need to break persistent barriers such as limited land access, post-harvest losses, and food waste. They highlighted opportunities in cold-chain technology, sustainable packaging, logistics, data analytics and customer-centered product design; elements they described as central to building a smart, future-ready food system.
A key moment came with the celebration of winners of the Lagos Agrithon 2025, a ₦150 million grant initiative rewarding groundbreaking agrifood innovations. Thirty-six finalists showcased bold ideas, with winning entrepreneurs receiving between ₦1 million and ₦7.5 million to scale their ventures. Organizers said the awardees represent “the next generation of Lagos agripreneurs turning ideas into real-world impact.”
As the summit closed, the consensus among participants was clear: Lagos is positioning itself not only as Nigeria’s agricultural innovation hub but also as a continental leader in shaping smarter, more efficient and competitive food systems.
In Lagos today, agriculture is no longer just about growing food, it is about growing the future.
