By Ify Mgbemena
The Chief Executive Officer of Verdure Capital Consultants, Mr. Chukwuma Kalu, has described the partnership between AgroNigeria and the Centre for the Promotion of Imports from developing countries (CBI) as a commendable and strategic move, while cautioning that its ultimate success will be measured by its ability to bridge the gap between digital intelligence and grassroots farmers.
He stated that while embedding credible EU market intelligence into Nigeria’s agribusiness ecosystem signals progress, the agricultural landscape remains highly fragmented, with multiple platforms competing for attention but often lacking farmer-centric focus.
According to him, if such initiatives fail to reach the last mile, they risk reinforcing existing structural imbalances rather than correcting them.
Kalu emphasized that farmers, despite being the backbone of the food system remain the least empowered actors within the value chain, grappling with limited access to finance, quality inputs, and reliable market information.
He warned that without deliberate mechanisms to transmit trade intelligence beyond digital spaces into rural communities, middlemen may continue to benefit disproportionately, leaving primary producers behind.
On Nigeria’s broader trade positioning, he stressed that strengthening competitiveness requires addressing deep structural gaps, including information asymmetry, weak infrastructure, and policy misalignment.
He argued that access to credible intelligence alone is not enough; it must be complemented by strong advocacy and collaboration among government institutions, financial actors, Chambers of Commerce, and diplomatic missions to unlock actionable opportunities.
From an investment standpoint, Kalu affirmed that timely and accurate market intelligence significantly reduces perceived risk and strengthens confidence in export-oriented agribusiness ventures.
He maintained that in trade, timing is critical, and missed opportunities often result from delayed or inadequate access to reliable information.
However, he noted that sustainable competitiveness will hinge on structured stakeholder engagement and coordinated execution, particularly within frameworks such as the African Continental Free Trade Area.
Centralized access to EU market intelligence, he said, opens new doors and strengthens international trading relationships, including those with the Netherlands, but long-term impact will depend on closing the structural gap between information access and rural empowerment.
Describing the CBI–AgroNigeria collaboration as timely and directionally sound, Kalu concluded that sustained impact will be determined not by the availability of intelligence, but by how intentionally it is distilled, transmitted, and translated into tangible value for the farmers at the heart of Nigeria’s agribusiness economy.
