Stakeholders Convene Summit to address Worsening Food Insecurity

Omolabake Fasogbon 

A recent report by the World Food Programme(WFP) has revealed a worsening food shortage in the country, projecting that 33.1 million Nigerians will face acute food insecurity in 2025, up from the 26.5 million persons projected for 2024.

Amid this worrying trend,  stakeholders are coming together at the  Nigeria Food Summit (NFS) to chart innovative path towards strengthening  the food systems in Nigeria. 

Organisers  of this summit expressed that prevailing reality continued to pose an increasing threat to Nigeria’s economy and public welfare, noting that NFS seeks  to address challenges and reposition the local food sector. 

Convener of the summit, Gbolabo Adebakin stated that the theme of the summit, “Making Nigeria a Global Food Destination,”  highlights the urgency to leverage Nigeria’s rich food culture and modern agricultural technology to drive industry growth.

He emphasised  partnership gap in supply chain ,adding that a line-up of industry experts, policy makers, farmers and business owners, amongst others  attending the second edition of the summit in March 21 will lead discussion on bridging gaps in  local food value chain.

“We have a unique and diverse food culture that deserves global recognition. Through NFS, we are creating a platform that connects every player in the food ecosystem- from farmers to culinary professionals-to drive innovation, sustainability, and economic expansion,” he said. 

Also linedup for the summit according to Adebakin include:  Masterclasses,culinary museum exhibitions, activations and panel discussions on food technology, business scalability, and supply chain improvements. 

Also commenting regarding the event holding in Lagos, CEO of Q21 Solutions, Eunice Adeyemi affirmed the event’s significance to transforming Nigeria’s food sector.

She explained further that the initiative which had the input of key partners like Sterling Bank, Opay, Nestlé and glovo, amongst others will also be hosting a  Pitch-a-ton competition

Where emerging food business owners will be privileged to access  grants, mentorship, and investment opportunities