Stakeholders push for stronger policy support to boost agri-tech innovation

In a bid to strengthen Nigeria’s food system, stakeholders in technology have called on the federal government for policy support to accelerate agri-tech innovation and address productivity gaps.

Uka Eje, CEO of ThriveAgric, made the call at the Abuja Tech Converge (ATC) 3.0 at the weekend. He said while emerging technologies are transforming industries globally, Nigeria must deliberately create enabling structures to build tech talent capable of solving agricultural challenges.

Over the years, ATC has trained nearly 1,000 young people out of more than 50,000 applicants in key digital and product development skills, but Eje noted that the absence of technology-focused education in schools limits the scale of impact.

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“We have a massive skills gap. If technology is going to transform agriculture and other sectors, then tech education must be mainstreamed in primary schools, secondary schools and universities,” he said.

Eje added that while innovators are building solutions, many are not investment-ready, resulting in a persistent funding gap in the tech and agri-tech space.

He stressed the need for policies that strengthen talent development, support co-creation, and help innovators build businesses that can attract capital and scale.

Akinsoode Akiwande, Head Digital, OCP Africa, said Nigeria’s agricultural sector presents enormous opportunities for innovation but suffers from longstanding productivity challenges.

Citing fertilizer usage as an example, he noted that Nigeria applies less than 30kg per hectare, far below global comparators that apply nearly 300kg.

“We cannot close this gap without technology. But adoption remains a big challenge,” he said. According to him, the sector requires innovation, investment and leadership and government policy plays a central role in providing the structure needed for young innovators to thrive.

He called for more innovation hubs across the country, where young agri-tech and digital talents can refine their ideas, receive mentorship and become investment-ready.

“Many young people have brilliant ideas, but they’re not yet business-ready. The private sector is doing a lot, but government is better positioned to drive nationwide systems that support learning, protect intellectual property and guide innovation growth,” Akiwande said.

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