The Sasakawa Africa Association has said Nigeria spends about $10bn annually importing wheat, rice, sugar, fish and tomato paste, despite ongoing efforts by the government to transform the agricultural sector.
The SAA Nigeria Country Director, Dr Godwin Atser, disclosed this on Thursday in Abuja at the 2026 Annual Stakeholders’ Workshop and the celebration of the association’s 40th anniversary.
The association said its interventions are aimed at increasing farmers’ incomes and improving food and nutrition security through the promotion of market-oriented, sustainable, resilient, regenerative and nutrition-sensitive agricultural innovations, while also building the capacity of extension agents and farmers.
The workshop had the theme, ‘SAA @ 40: Deepening Impact and Expanding Reach at Scale.’
Atser attributed the country’s huge food import bill to low domestic production capacity, saying local output has remained insufficient to meet demand.
He stressed the need to make the right technologies available to farmers through effective extension and advisory services.
According to him, available data show that Nigeria has one extension agent to 10,000 farmers, a ratio he described as grossly inadequate for transforming the agricultural sector.
He said the workshop was a high-level platform designed to review the organisation’s 2021–2025 Strategic Plan and chart a new course for agricultural development in the country.
Atser said, “SAA has been supporting agricultural transformation in Nigeria for 33 years, contributing to improved productivity, enhanced livelihoods and strengthened extension systems.
“This workshop is not merely ceremonial. It is a strategic and data-rich forum for reflection, accountability and knowledge sharing.”
He added that the meeting would provide a critical platform to redefine stakeholders’ ambitions, exchange ideas, share lessons and align strategies for greater coherence and collective impact.
According to him, the association adopts annual themes to guide conversations around emerging agricultural challenges, particularly in regenerative agriculture, market access and nutrition-sensitive farming practices.
He said the 2026 theme captured both the organisation’s achievements and the urgent need to address evolving challenges confronting the sector, including climate variability, population pressure and shifting economic realities.
Atser added, “The mission of Sasakawa is to empower smallholder farmers with knowledge, technologies, markets and inclusive extension systems to achieve sustainable food, nutrition and income security for resilient and thriving livelihoods.”
In a keynote address titled, ‘The Role of Private Sector in Agricultural Development in Nigeria,’ the Japanese Ambassador to Nigeria, Suzuki Hideo, said the country’s agriculture sector is driven by millions of smallholder farmers who remain the backbone of food security and rural livelihoods.
Hideo said agriculture employs about 34 per cent of Nigeria’s labour force and contributes 25 per cent to the Gross Domestic Product.
He said advancing mechanisation, reducing post-harvest losses and strengthening market linkages remain crucial to unlocking Nigeria’s productivity potential.
The ambassador added that the SAA had, over the past 40 years, worked consistently to strengthen Nigeria’s agricultural production capacity.
He said, “The organisation’s unwavering commitment and innovative approaches have significantly transformed the agricultural landscape.”
