Nigeria, Japan Deepen Agricultural Partnership to Boost Food Security

News in brief:

-Nigeria and Japan will strengthen agricultural cooperation at a stakeholder workshop organised by the Sasakawa Africa Association in Abuja.

-The event will explore solutions to food insecurity, climate challenges and low productivity in Nigeria’s agriculture sector.

A strengthened agricultural partnership between Japan and Nigeria will take centre stage at a high-level stakeholder workshop scheduled for April 9, 2026, in Abuja.

The event will bring together the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, the Federal Ministry of Livestock Development, Japanese government representatives and several state governors.

Convened by the Sasakawa Africa Association Nigeria, the workshop aims to deepen development cooperation in agriculture at a time when Nigeria is seeking practical solutions to food insecurity, climate pressures and low productivity.

The workshop will be held at Rockview Royale Hotel under the theme SAA @ 40: Deepening Impact and Expanding Reach at Scale. It will serve both as SAA Nigeria’s annual stakeholder meeting and the launch of activities marking the organisation’s 40th anniversary.

The milestone highlights four decades of agricultural development work across Africa and 34 years of operations in Nigeria.

Japanese Delegation to Highlight Technology Transfer

Leading the Japanese delegation are Shuichi Suzuki, President of the Sasakawa Africa Association; Hideo Suzuki, Japan’s Ambassador to Nigeria; and Keiji Ishigame, Chief Country Representative of the Japan International Cooperation Agency.

Their participation is expected to highlight Japan’s expanding role in agricultural technology transfer, mechanisation and private sector investment in Nigeria’s agriculture sector.

Nigerian Officials and Governors to Participate

On the Nigerian side, the Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, will deliver ministerial remarks and officially unveil SAA’s 40th anniversary activities.

The Minister of Livestock Development and governors from key agricultural states, including Oyo State, Benue State, Kano State, Jigawa State, Nasarawa State, Yobe State and Gombe State, are also expected to attend.

Their presence is expected to reinforce the role of subnational governments in advancing agropastoral development and strengthening agricultural partnerships.

Strategic Dialogue on Food Systems

According to Godwin Atser, Country Director of the Sasakawa Africa Association Nigeria, the workshop is designed as a strategic platform to align policy priorities with practical agricultural interventions.

“This workshop is more than a commemorative event,” Atser said. “We are bringing together those shaping policy, those investing in agriculture and those working directly with farmers to reflect on what works and agree on how to scale impact.”

A key component of the summit will be discussions on the role of the private sector in agricultural development. Participants will also reflect on outcomes from the Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD 2025) and their implications for Nigeria’s agricultural transformation agenda.

The event will further showcase results from SAA’s 2021–2025 Strategic Plan, which focuses on regenerative agriculture, market-oriented farming and nutrition-sensitive agricultural practices.

Exhibition of Agricultural Technologies

Beyond policy discussions, participants will interact with agricultural innovations through an exhibition of farming technologies by Japanese companies.

The exhibition, led by the Japanese ambassador, aims to connect policy dialogue with practical solutions that can improve productivity and resilience in Nigeria’s agriculture sector.

The workshop will also feature goodwill messages from participating governors and recognition of long-standing partnerships.

Among the highlights is an award to the Governor of Gombe State, Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, for sustained collaboration with the Sasakawa Africa Association.

Organisation’s Role in African Agriculture

The Sasakawa Africa Association was established in 1986 by Japanese philanthropist Ryoichi Sasakawa, Nobel Laureate Norman Borlaug and former United States President Jimmy Carter.

The organisation focuses on improving the productivity, profitability and resilience of smallholder farmers in sub-Saharan Africa through agricultural extension services, capacity building and systems strengthening.

Currently active in Nigeria, Ethiopia, Mali and Uganda, SAA works with governments, universities, agricultural institutions and private sector actors to promote improved technologies that increase crop yields, farmer incomes and food security.

Since 1993, the organisation has operated across 29 states in Nigeria, contributing significantly to strengthening agricultural extension systems and farmer-centred development initiatives.