Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Sen. Abubakar Kyari, has declared that Nigeria must deliberately empower at least 30 percent of young people and 30 percent of women across every segment of the food system value chain.
He spoke in Abuja at the maiden National AgriBusiness Strategy Youth Dialogue, where government officials, development partners and young innovators gathered to chart a new course for the country’s agrifood sector.
Kyari described the meeting as a decisive step toward building climate resilient and finance enabled pathways for young Nigerians in agriculture.
He stressed that with youths accounting for more than 70 percent of the population, their energy and enterprise must be harnessed to transform the nation’s food systems.
According to him, empowering young people with funding and opportunity goes beyond supporting individual businesses.
It helps to reshape markets, strengthen economic resilience and secure the future of food production and distribution in the country.
The minister acknowledged that although agriculture remains central to livelihoods across Africa, the sector continues to grapple with structural constraints.
He said innovation, collaboration and youth leadership are essential to overcoming challenges such as climate variability, limited access to credit and weak rural infrastructure.
Kyari noted that the Federal Government has aligned national agricultural policies with the Sustainable Development Goals and the African Agricultural Youth Strategy.
He added that Nigeria is working closely with the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa to promote innovation and expand networks that connect young agripreneurs.
He further explained that partnerships with the Central Bank of Nigeria, the National Agricultural Development Fund, the Bank of Agriculture and the Nigeria Agricultural Insurance Corporation are designed to widen access to credit, expand agricultural insurance coverage and extend digital financial services to underserved communities.
These measures, he said, are aimed at unlocking capital for youth led enterprises and reducing risks associated with rural investment.
He urged stakeholders to move beyond policy documents to practical implementation through state level adoption, coordinated action and measurable outcomes.
Mentorship programmes, improved market access and strategic alliances, he added, are critical to nurturing competitive agribusinesses led by young Nigerians.
Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Dr Marcus Ogunbiyi, said the dialogue was convened to ensure that resilience and finance remain central to agricultural development.
He maintained that food security, a priority under the current administration, cannot be achieved without positioning young people at the heart of the sector.
Ogunbiyi identified climate change, financing gaps, poor infrastructure and limited access to land as key obstacles discouraging youth participation.
He said the ministry is determined to create an environment where agriculture is seen as a modern, profitable and technology driven career of choice.
Also speaking, Mr David Adama of the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa said discussions are now centred on food systems rather than primary production alone.
He commended Nigeria for taking the lead in domesticating the Africa Agribusiness Youth Strategy and encouraged young participants to ensure their contributions shape the national framework.
Participants at the forum agreed that coordinated action and inclusive policies will be crucial to achieving the ambitious target of expanding youth and women participation across the food value chain while narrowing gender disparities in the sector.
