Nigeria Food Systems Transformation Alliance Launch is official

The Nigeria Food Systems Transformation Alliance was officially launched on March 19, 2025, at the Marriott Hotel, Lagos, marking a significant milestone in the drive to revolutionise Nigeria’s food systems. This private-sector-led initiative powered by IDH is set to enhance local sourcing, fortify agrifood supply chains, and attract strategic investments to foster a more sustainable and competitive food industry in Nigeria. 

Bringing together leading food manufacturing companies, financial institutions, and supply chain actors, the Alliance is positioned as a collaborative platform to drive sustainability and innovation across the sector. 

 The event was as a platform to convene several manufacturing companies that have been in discussion for over two years to develop a roadmap for individual and collective supply chains in Nigeria and beyond. The companies have also been developing a joint framework for advocacy influencing and collaborating with financial institutions and government to create an enabling business environment. 

The event attracted 90 participants from 40 prominent companies, including Nestlé, Unilever, FMN, and TGI, alongside policymakers, financial partners, and agrifood supply chain stakeholders who explored opportunities to transform Nigeria’s food systems. 

A defining moment of the launch was the signing of a covenant by 26 companies, committing to a collaborative and strategic approach towards food system transformation in Nigeria.  

By signing to the Nigeria Foods Systems Transformation Alliance, the companies pledged to collaborate to meet targets which lead to food security and sovereignty for the country, including a 10-year plan to increase local sourcing by 80 per cent, local food production by 20 per cent, boost commercialisation and growth for small and medium enterprises and integrate climate-resilient and regenerative production supply chain practices into the country’s food value chains. 

Additionally, IDH and NADF signed an agreement to provide financial support for SMEs and smallholder farmers within the Cassava Value Chain, with plans to scale the initiative to other value chains upon successful implementation. 

Michel Deelen, Netherlands Consul General in Lagos, delivered the opening address and stressed the importance of strengthening local agrifood supply chains while ensuring access to nutritious and healthy food options: "It is not enough to produce food in volumes; it is important to realise that real professionalizing food systems are beyond fortification and balanced diet should be encouraged so that Nigeria and Africa don’t repeat the mistakes of the West in commercializing food in “fast food” and neglecting to build healthy societies” . 

In his welcome address, Mr. Kebba Colley, IDH Global Director for the Value Chain Transformation Business Unit, called for the expansion of food manufacturing in Nigeria to support Africa’s food security and job creation needs. He challenged companies to expand their operations beyond Nigeria and venture into other African countries to meet the food security needs and job creation gap on the African continent. 

Marije Boomsma, IDH Global Director of Strategy and Insight, introduced IDH’s operating strategy and innovative tools designed to support data-driven decision-making in food system transformation: “At IDH, we are proud to contribute to the transformation of Africa’s food systems into ones that are resilient and inclusive, and we are not doing it alone. Through close collaboration with our partners, we are building momentum. 19 March this year, 26 companies operating in Nigeria signed up for the Nigeria Food Systems Alliance.  Aliance’s goal is to strengthen local food supply chains and strengthen the business-enabling environment. By 2035, this should eventually lead to 80% of inputs being sourced from local smallholders, many of them women and young people. Apart from sector convening, IDH brings in supply chain data and insights needed to build strong business cases and to de-risk investment. With inclusive business tools and approaches, we support partners to translate their commitments into real, scalable, and meaningful impact for SMEs and supplying farmers”. 

Eniola Fabusoro, Country Director at IDH, highlighted the role of the country in such a transformation: "Given the size of its market and the opportunity for growth, Nigeria is uniquely positioned to influence food system transformation across Africa. This transformation can only be achieved through private sector-led initiatives like this one. IDH's central role in this initiative highlights our convening strength and commitment to developing African Agri-SMEs, creating job opportunities, promoting local and regional trade, enhancing market opportunities for smallholder farmers, and driving transformative changes in the national economy."

Additionally, Chimdindu Onwudiegwu, Senior Partner at Dalberg Global Development Advisors, outlined the Alliance’s objectives, emphasizing the need to build resilient supply chains that can meet both domestic and export food demands. 

Government support for agribusiness development in Nigeria was underscored by Marion Moon, Head of the Presidential Food Systems Coordination Unit (PFSCU), 's announcement of a $1.1 billion agribusiness investment. Moon reinforced the critical role of public-private collaboration in food system transformation.  

PFSCU has the mandate to revive, rehabilitate, and prioritize policies that would address the state of emergency that has been declared on food security in Nigeria in 2023.  Moon further identified the commonalities between the objectives of the Unit and the Alliance and committed to harmonizing plans and working in synergy going forward and ensuring that policy thrusts are fully implemented 

The National Agricultural Development Fund (NADF) Executive Secretary Mohammed Ibrahim represented by Nasir Ingawa reiterated the fund’s commitment to mobilizing financial resources for agricultural transformation.  

The keynote address, delivered by Sadiq Usman, Group Director of Strategy and Stakeholder Relations at Flour Mills of Nigeria (FMN) Group, provided a deep dive into FMN’s 65-year legacy in Nigeria. He shared strategies for cost optimization, consumer market insights, supply chain resilience, and strategic partnerships: "The mission of building successful pan-African food companies will entail a lot of collaboration to support agricultural transformation, improve the quality of food systems infrastructure and harness the capabilities of a continent immensely rich in the endowments to support this quest”. 

The panel discussion was an insightful discussion in which all participants enlightened the audience with valuable insights. Moderated by Kebba Colley, the panellists highlighted the need to support the last-mile delivery for farmers to adopt best agronomic practices as a key strategy to improve yield, the relevance of the quality of produce and the key role that data and plays for decision making in the manufacturing space.

The Nigeria Food Systems Transformation Alliance reinforces the critical role of the private sector in driving sustainable, inclusive, and climate-resilient food systems. By focusing on local agrifood supply chain development and promoting domestic sourcing, the Alliance is poised to strengthen Nigeria’s agricultural sector, ensuring long-term growth and resilience.