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All is set for the 7th Nigeria International Agriculture Expo (NIAEXPO 2025), scheduled to take place from August 26 to 28, 2025 at the Abuja Trade & Convention Centre, Lugbe, FCT. This year’s edition, themed “Showcasing Nigeria’s Agricultural Potential on a Global Stage”, promises to be the biggest yet, with organisers reaffirming their commitment to positioning Nigeria’s agriculture as the nation’s most competitive sector in the global economy.
Speaking at a press briefing in Abuja ahead of the event, Ambassador Abiodun Olaniyi, Project Consultant for NIAEXPO and Executive Director of Agriquest Africa Network, reflected on the journey to the seventh edition.
In his words, “I want to thank God that this is the 7th edition. The journey has been both good, bad, and ugly, but the only thing there is to project Nigeria’s potential, and that’s one of the reasons why we are organising this programme — to really project Nigeria and to internationalise our agricultural business.”
Ambassador Olaniyi noted that the Expo has consistently grown in stature, drawing international participants from across the world. “For the last edition, we had over 10 countries that came — from Russia, India, the United States, Estonia, and even China. It has been getting better every year. But this edition will not just be a continuation; it is designed to deepen our passion to really project Nigeria,” he explained.
He stressed that the event would serve as a platform to examine every link in the agricultural value chain, from production to distribution, and from processing to market access. “We are not just operating in the upstream sector. Nigeria can and should operate across the upstream, the midstream, and the downstream. This programme is about looking at the value chain and addressing the real problems, from post-harvest losses to the use of agricultural inputs and the supply chain. By 2030, Nigeria has set a target, and this Expo is tailored to help the country gain that edge,” Olaniyi stated.
Highlighting areas of focus, he said the programme would feature discussions on logistics, digital agriculture, women in agribusiness, and the celebration of farmers. “The farmers need to be celebrated,” he stressed. “They need both social and economic inclusion. We are also going to talk about the livestock markets, because it is not just about how you raise animals, but what is happening in the marketplace. Do you know that Nigeria cannot even say for certain how many cows, goats, or sheep we have? That is why we are shifting the focus from agriculture as culture to agriculture as business.”
Ambassador Olaniyi further underscored the need for financing mechanisms that truly impact farmers. “Finance is very important. Farmers always say it is their biggest challenge, yet we keep hearing figures and promises without seeing the effects on the ground. That is why this Expo is bringing stakeholders to the table, to address these issues in a pragmatic way. Agriculture is not a quick-profit business. It is gradual, and it requires proper monitoring and stakeholder integration,” he maintained.
He also linked Nigeria’s future prosperity to a return to its agricultural roots, recalling the role of cocoa in the 1950s and 60s. “The Western Region built the cocoa house from cocoa, not oil. Lagos, Ibadan, and other regions flourished from agriculture. If we trace our steps, we will see that agriculture has always been the backbone. Food security is everybody’s responsibility, whether you are a doctor, a lawyer, or a nurse. With urban farming and soilless farming, everyone can be part of it. Around the world, people want to know where their food comes from, from the soil to the table. That is why agriculture is central to our food system, and why the potential is so enormous,” he said.
On his part, Mr. Adamson Adekunle, Regional Coordinator of NIAEXPO, revealed that this year’s edition would introduce new dimensions designed to ensure inclusivity. “We created a sub-event we call Farmers’ Day, just to celebrate farmers and make them inclusive in the event. We have mobilised them through various associations and organisations. They will benefit from dedicated schemes and trainings arranged for them, and by the time they return to their communities, they will apply what they have learned to improve their productivity,” Adekunle explained.
He also announced the creation of a Women Entrepreneurship Hub within the Expo. “Women are very critical in this sector, but they have not been spotlighted. In this edition, we are making sure women are not only spotlighted but equipped. This hub will allow women and youth, especially those in small-scale farming, to come together, to learn how to package, register, and market their products, and to gain visibility within the exhibition. During the tours, people will be able to see what rural women are doing and how they are supporting the agricultural sector,” he said.
Adekunle affirmed that the 2025 edition would surpass previous editions in scope and scale. “This promises to be bigger and better. As of today, we are still receiving requests from exhibitors. From this weekend, equipment and machinery will begin arriving from across the states. Last year, we had manufacturers and dealers in large numbers, and this year we are expecting even more,” he noted.
Beyond the exhibitions, the official website of NIAEXPO outlines opportunities for B2B matchmaking, co-located side events on smart agriculture, and workshops on agro-finance, supply chain resilience, organic farming, and export readiness. With delegates expected from across Africa and beyond, the Expo is positioned as West Africa’s largest sourcing hub for agricultural innovation.
As Ambassador Olaniyi summed up, the Expo is a call to action for Nigeria to transform agriculture into a driver of national development. “The president has said food security is an emergency. It is time to walk the talk. For every challenge there is an opportunity. I am proud to say Nigerian agriculture plays a defining role in Africa. Agriculture remains the one sector where we can have a competitive edge globally, and with this Expo, we are showing the world what Nigeria can achieve,” he declared.
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