The Lagos State Government, in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade & Investment (FMITI), has officially opened the State operational office of the Nigeria Agribusiness and Agro-Industry Development Initiative (NAADI).
Mrs. Folashade Ambrose-Medebem, the Commissioner for Commerce, Cooperative, Trade & Investment, made the announcement during a two-day ceremony held from Monday, January 29th, to Tuesday, January 30th, 2024, at the NAADI Lagos office, located at 3 Muyiwa Close, off Ajayi Road, Ogba, Ikeja. Represented by Mrs. Zulikha Ibraheem, the Director of Cooperatives Services, Mrs. Ambrose-Medebem highlighted that the State Government provided the office as a requisite for the localization of NAADI at the state level.
Mrs. Ambrose-Medebem stated that the State Government provided the office as part of the requirements for localizing NAADI at the state level. She added, “This initiative, driven by the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, aims to transform Nigeria’s agricultural sector into a cornerstone of industrial and economic prosperity, aligning with the Fourth Pillar of the T.H.E.M.E.S Development Agenda of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s administration, which is Making Lagos a 21st Century Economy.”
According to her, Lagos aims to utilize the NAADI platform to diversify the state’s productive base, decrease import reliance, boost job creation, facilitate exports, and enhance the profitability of agribusiness and agro-industry investments.
“Lagos will use the platform of NAADI, with its broad scope spanning various agro-based and agro-allied industries, to diversify the State’s productive base, reduce import dependence, stimulate job creation, promote exports, and enhance the profitability of agribusiness and agro-industry investments. The program targets a wide range of beneficiaries, from small producers to large-scale enterprises, “she said.
Highlighting the alignment with the National Industrial Revolution Plan (NIRP), the Commissioner affirmed the government’s commitment to transforming agricultural potential into high-value industrial products and enhancing economic growth.
The initiative draws inspiration from UNIDO’s African Agribusiness and Agro-Industry Development Initiative (3ADI), with a determination to modernize Nigeria and Lagos’ agricultural sector and establish a thriving agribusiness ecosystem.
