Agricultural Development Fund Partners Firm To Boost Investment, Food Security

The National Agricultural Development Fund (NADF) has partnered with Growtech West Africa to strengthen Nigeria’s agricultural growth and food security through improved access to technology, investment and expertise.

The collaboration was announced ahead of the inaugural Growtech West Africa exhibition scheduled to hold from January 26to 28, 2027 in Lagos.

The partnership connects Growtech’s international network of agricultural businesses, technology providers and industry experts with NADF’s mandate to expand access to agricultural finance, boost productivity and support food security.

Established by the federal government under the NADF Act 2022, the Fund was created to address constraints in agricultural finance and unlock the potential of Nigeria’s agriculture and food systems, including support for innovation, research, capacity building and adoption of modern practices.

Executive secretary/CEO of NADF, Mohammed Ibrahim, said Nigeria’s agricultural transformation requires an ecosystem where finance, technology, expertise and enterprise work together.

“Nigeria’s agricultural transformation requires an ecosystem where finance, technology, expertise, and enterprise can work together to create greater value. Events such as Growtech West Africa can help connect Nigerian businesses and agricultural enterprises with technologies, knowledge, and international expertise that can improve productivity, strengthen value chains, and create new economic opportunities,” Ibrahim said.

He added that NADF is pleased to support the event as part of its commitment to collaboration that expands opportunity and contributes to a more resilient food system.

The collaboration comes at a time when agricultural businesses across Nigeria are seeking new ways to improve efficiency and increase production across irrigation, mechanisation, protected agriculture, livestock, aquaculture and food processing.

The commercial & strategy director at InD Group, Alan Kelly, said Nigeria is an important market because of its scale, agricultural diversity and influence across West Africa.

“Nigeria is an important market for Growtech because of its scale, its agricultural diversity, and its influence across the wider West African region. The launch of Growtech West Africa reflects our confidence in the market and the opportunities we see across its agricultural value chains,” Kelly said.

Growtech portfolio exhibition director, Engin Er, said West Africa represents an important next step given the depth of its agricultural sector and pace of transformation.

The inaugural event will feature exhibitors across seeds and seedlings, plant nutrition and protection, irrigation, greenhouse technologies, agricultural machinery, livestock and poultry, aquaculture and fisheries, and food processing.

It will also feature the Food Security and Sustainability Conference, bringing together policymakers, investors, agribusiness leaders, researchers and technology providers to examine financing, productivity, technology adoption and climate resilience.