We are showcasing local creativity, empowering women, supporting small-scale farmers, and creating access to international trade opportunities. NIAEXPO 2025 is about transforming potential into sustainable prosperity.”
— Abiodun Olaniyi
By Abdulrahman Aliagan, Abuja
As Nigeria intensifies efforts to diversify its economy beyond oil, all eyes are on the Nigeria International Agriculture Expo (NIAEXPO 2025) — a transformative initiative designed to unlock the nation’s vast agricultural potential and position it as a leading player in global agribusiness.
Scheduled to hold from August 26 to 28, 2025, at the Abuja Trade and Convention Centre, Lugbe, the 7th edition of NIAEXPO is themed “Showcasing Nigeria’s Agricultural Potential on a Global Stage.” The event promises to be more than just an exhibition; it is a strategic marketplace for innovation, trade, investment, and policy dialogue aimed at reshaping Africa’s agricultural economy.
The Project Coordinator, Amb. Abiodun Olaniyi, described NIAEXPO 2025 as a “game-changer for Nigerian farmers, agropreneurs, and stakeholders across the value chain”, noting that the expo seeks to connect local producers directly to international markets, boost exports, and strengthen Nigeria’s role in global food security.
“This is not just an event; it is a platform to project Nigeria as a hub for agribusiness innovation in Africa,” Olaniyi said during a pre-expo press briefing in Abuja.
We are showcasing local creativity, empowering women, supporting small-scale farmers, and creating access to international trade opportunities. NIAEXPO 2025 is about transforming potential into sustainable prosperity.”
— Abiodun Olaniyi
“We are showcasing local creativity, empowering women, supporting small-scale farmers, and creating access to international trade opportunities. NIAEXPO 2025 is about transforming potential into sustainable prosperity.”
With over 84 million hectares of arable land, diverse agro-climatic zones, and a youthful population eager to innovate, Nigeria is uniquely positioned to become a leader in agricultural production and export. However, challenges such as post-harvest losses, poor access to finance, and logistics bottlenecks have slowed progress.
NIAEXPO 2025 seeks to confront these obstacles head-on. Through capacity-building sessions, technology showcases, and international collaborations, the expo will drive conversations and actions toward making Nigerian agriculture competitive, innovative, and export-driven.
Over the years, NIAEXPO has attracted participants from across the globe, with previous editions hosting delegations from Russia, India, China, Estonia, and the United States. The 2025 edition aims to deepen regional integration by including representatives from Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones and several African countries, thereby positioning the country as the gateway to Africa’s agricultural market.
One of the highlights of this year’s event is the introduction of the Women Entrepreneurship Hub, a dedicated platform designed to equip female agripreneurs with practical skills, tools, and exposure to scale their businesses.
According to Mr. Adekunle Adamson, the Regional Project Lead for NIAEXPO, the hub will provide training on product registration, packaging, branding, and international marketing, ensuring that Nigerian women move beyond subsistence farming into agribusiness leadership.
Women are critical players in Nigeria’s agricultural value chain, but they have often been excluded from decision-making and high-value opportunities,”
— Adekunle Adamson
“Women are critical players in Nigeria’s agricultural value chain, but they have often been excluded from decision-making and high-value opportunities,” Adamson explained.
With this hub, we are creating a pipeline for women to access capital, technology, and markets. This is how we build inclusive agribusiness growth.
— Adekunle Adamson
“With this hub, we are creating a pipeline for women to access capital, technology, and markets. This is how we build inclusive agribusiness growth.”
Similarly, youth participation will take centre stage, with special training sessions on digital agriculture, innovation in crop management, and market intelligence.
NIAEXPO 2025 will feature a dedicated Farmers’ Day — a celebration of Nigeria’s frontline food producers. The event will mobilize thousands of farmers nationwide through their associations and cooperatives, offering them hands-on training in modern farming techniques, sustainable practices, and value-addition strategies.
“Farmers are at the heart of this revolution,” Adamson said.
Through exposure to new techniques and technology, we want to improve both their productivity and profitability. By the time they return to their farms, they’ll be equipped with actionable solutions to scale their production.
— Adekunle Adamson
“Through exposure to new techniques and technology, we want to improve both their productivity and profitability. By the time they return to their farms, they’ll be equipped with actionable solutions to scale their production.”
In a strategic move to diversify Nigeria’s agricultural export basket, NIAEXPO 2025 will spotlight underutilised but highly profitable crops such as broccoli, cauliflower, and moringa, which are gaining popularity in global health and nutrition markets.
Additionally, cashew, cocoa, sugarcane, and mushrooms — crops with enormous economic and export potential — will be given special attention.
The expo will also host a Forum on Organic Agriculture and Agroecology Education, aimed at promoting sustainable farming systems, reducing chemical dependency, and enhancing environmental resilience. This is in line with global trends toward green agriculture and aligns with Nigeria’s commitment to achieving food security while protecting biodiversity.
A major highlight of NIAEXPO 2025 is its role in creating direct market linkages between Nigerian farmers and international buyers. With the global demand for organic foods, tropical crops, and agro-processed products rising steadily, the expo offers an unprecedented opportunity for export-ready agribusinesses to showcase their products to investors, trade delegations, and multinational corporations.
This initiative supports Nigeria’s broader vision of increasing non-oil exports, a policy drive expected to contribute significantly to the nation’s foreign exchange earnings and economic diversification goals.
NIAEXPO’s long-term agenda aligns with Nigeria’s Vision 2030 for agriculture, which seeks to transform the sector into a globally competitive, inclusive, and technology-driven industry. By fostering synergies between policymakers, researchers, investors, and farmers, the expo aims to create a sustainable framework for innovation and investment in the sector.
Olaniyi underscored the strategic intent behind the initiative:
Our target is clear: by 2030, Nigeria should stand among the world’s leading agribusiness economies. The expo is tailored to drive that ambition by mobilizing stakeholders and showcasing the limitless opportunities within our agricultural landscape.”
“Our target is clear: by 2030, Nigeria should stand among the world’s leading agribusiness economies. The expo is tailored to drive that ambition by mobilizing stakeholders and showcasing the limitless opportunities within our agricultural landscape.”
The Nigeria International Agriculture Expo 2025 is more than an exhibition — it is a national and continental movement to redefine agriculture as the backbone of economic transformation. By creating a platform where innovation meets investment, and local potential meets global demand, NIAEXPO positions Nigeria to stand tall among the community of agrieconomies worldwide.
With its focus on empowering farmers, strengthening exports, adopting technology, and promoting inclusivity, NIAEXPO 2025 is set to change the narrative of African agriculture — from subsistence to sustainability, from local consumption to global competitiveness.
