Stakeholders in the agricultural sector say the third edition of the Farm, Food and Allied Technologies Expo (Farmfatech Expo 2026) will promote partnerships and investments to accelerate agricultural industrialisation in Nigeria.
They said this while briefing newsmen on Wednesday in Abuja on preparations for the expo, which is expected to bring together policymakers, financial institutions, investors, manufacturers, technology providers, farmers, development partners and civil society organisations.
Prince Tony Ifeakandu, Managing Director of Autodex Nigeria Ltd. and Lead Creator of Farmfatech, said Nigeria’s agricultural challenge extended beyond increasing food production to include mechanisation, irrigation, post-harvest management, storage, logistics and agro-processing.
He said the expo, with the theme, “Driving Agricultural Industrialisation: Local Manufacturing, Technology Transfer, Finance and Export for Africa’s Prosperity,” would hold from Nov. 9 to Nov. 11 at 21 Arena, Arts and Crafts Marketplace, beside Abuja Continental Hotel, Central Business District, Abuja.
Ifeakandu identified post-harvest losses as a major challenge requiring urgent attention, noting that improved preservation, processing and distribution could increase farmers’ earnings and strengthen the national economy.
He said the expo would focus on modern drying systems, storage infrastructure, cold-chain development, standardised logistics, processing and improved market access.
According to him, addressing post-harvest losses will enable farmers and agribusinesses to preserve more produce, improve product quality and expand access to domestic and international markets.
He described access to appropriate financing as another critical challenge facing the agricultural sector.
“We must have structured agricultural finance that will connect farmers and agribusinesses with banks, development finance institutions, investors and risk-sharing mechanisms,” he said.
Ifeakandu said farmers, cooperatives and agribusinesses required financing models that linked production with reliable markets, mechanisation, irrigation, processing, storage and export contracts.
He added that Farmfatech would provide a platform for stakeholders to explore practical financing solutions to reduce investment risks and support commercially viable agricultural clusters.
The Farmfatech lead creator also stressed the importance of farmer certification, product traceability and quality assurance in meeting recognised standards for domestic and international markets.
He said an integrated agricultural ecosystem was necessary to improve productivity, minimise losses, attract investment and enhance Nigeria’s competitiveness in global markets.
Earlier, Dr Nnamdi Ezeani, Chairman of Autodex Nigeria Ltd., said Nigeria needed to move beyond food production to building a comprehensive agricultural economy capable of driving industrialisation, employment and export growth.
Ezeani emphasised the need for mechanisation and efficient logistics to reduce post-harvest losses and make Nigerian agricultural products more competitive locally and internationally.
He said the expo would bring together government institutions, financial organisations, investors, manufacturers, farmers, technology providers and development partners to develop practical solutions to the challenges facing the sector.
He added that the initiative would promote agricultural clusters, strengthen farm security, improve farmer certification and product traceability, and standardise logistics and cold-chain systems.
“We invite the media to help communicate this message nationally: agriculture is not merely about food production; it is an engine for industrialisation, employment, investment, export growth and national development,” he said.
Ezeani described Farmfatech 2026 as a call for collective action, expressing the hope that the event would translate discussions into partnerships, investments and measurable benefits for Nigerian farmers and agribusinesses.
The organisers acknowledged the support of Afreximbank, NEXIM Bank, United Bank for Africa (UBA) and PAC, alongside the World Agriculture Forum (WAF), National Agricultural Development Fund (NADF), Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC), Bank of Agriculture (BOA), Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (FMAFS), African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), NIRSAL and the Nigerian Army.
They said the participation of the institutions underscored the importance of coordinating financing, agricultural development, trade, risk management, policy and security to advance agricultural industrialisation in Nigeria.
