Being the Welcome Remarks by His Excellency Seyi Makinde, Executive Governor of Oyo State, at the Nigeria AgriConnect Compact Launch held at the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, Ibadan on Friday, 25 September 2026
On behalf of the Government and good people of Oyo State, I welcome you to Ibadan and to the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture for the launch of the Nigeria AgriConnect Compact.
Oyo State is pleased to host this gathering, not only because agriculture is central to our economy, but because the purpose of this Compact speaks to one of the most important questions facing Nigeria: how do we turn our agricultural potential into affordable food, productive jobs, stronger rural economies and competitive businesses?
Nigeria does not lack agricultural activity. We have hardworking farmers, respected research institutions, innovative young people, fertile land and a large domestic market. Yet, many farmers remain poor, food remains expensive and too much of what we produce is lost before it reaches the consumer. This tells us that production alone is not enough.
Agriculture must be treated as a complete economic system. Production must connect to security, research, extension, finance, rural roads, storage, processing, standards, logistics and markets. If one part of that chain fails, the farmer earns less, the processor operates below capacity and the consumer pays more.
That is why AgriConnect matters. Its value will not lie in creating another layer of programmes. Its value will lie in bringing government, research institutions, finance providers, development partners, farmers and private enterprise around a common delivery plan.
In Oyo State, this is the approach we have tried to follow. We have treated agribusiness as a development pathway rather than an isolated government activity. We have invested in roads that connect agricultural communities to larger markets.
At the Oyo State Agricultural Transformation Centre, Fasola, we have brought together production, processing, infrastructure, and investment into the same economic environment. We have also worked with research and development partners because public investment can go further when it is connected to knowledge, credible institutions and private capital.
Our experience has taught us several lessons that I believe are relevant to this Compact.
First, research must complete the journey from the laboratory to the farm and from the farm to the market. Nigeria has developed important agricultural knowledge and technologies. The real test is whether a farmer can obtain, understand, afford and use them; whether they raise productivity; and whether the resulting produce has a reliable buyer.
Second, government must understand its role. Government should provide direction, security, essential infrastructure, sound regulation and a stable investment environment. It should correct the barriers that prevent markets from working and use public resources to unlock greater private investment. But government does not need to operate every farm, processing facility or business. Sustainable agricultural growth will be led by productive farmers and competitive private enterprise.
Third, Nigeria’s States must be treated as delivery partners. Agriculture happens in specific communities, on specific land and along specific transport routes. State and local institutions understand many of those realities and carry responsibility for land administration, rural infrastructure, extension, local security and the communities affected by agricultural investment. A national compact will work best when federal policy, state-level delivery and private investment are aligned from the beginning.
Fourth, every commitment must be measurable.
This is particularly important for young Nigerians. We will not persuade a new generation to choose agriculture by describing it only as a social obligation. Agriculture must offer a credible route to income, enterprise, technology and professional growth. Young people must be able to see opportunities across the entire value chain: in production, mechanisation, input services, logistics, processing, data, finance, research and trade.
For our international and development partners, Nigeria offers scale, talent, natural resources and an important regional market. But potential is not enough to attract sustained investment. Investors and partners also need policy consistency, credible institutions, clear responsibilities and projects that can move from agreement to implementation. This Compact should help provide that clarity.
I appreciate the World Bank Group, the African Development Bank, IFAD and the other development and investment partners supporting Nigeria’s agricultural transformation. I also commend the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, for bringing this process together. I acknowledge IITA, AfricaRice and our wider research community for the knowledge and innovation on which a productive food system must be built.
As we launch the Nigeria AgriConnect Compact today, our attention must already be on what follows. A compact should be more than a statement of shared intentions. It should become a delivery agreement: one that identifies priority value chains, assigns responsibility, mobilises investment, sets timelines and reports results.
The real measure of today’s success will therefore be what Nigerians can see afterwards: more productive farmers, stronger businesses, better-paying jobs, reduced losses, increased processing, more affordable food and greater value created within our economy.
Oyo State stands ready to work with the Federal Government, other states, research institutions, development partners, farmers and the private sector to translate this Compact into measurable results.
Once again, I welcome you to Ibadan and to Oyo State, the Pacesetter State. I wish us productive deliberations and, more importantly, partnerships that move quickly from commitment to delivery.
Thank you, and God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Seyi Makinde
25 September 2026