Senate President Godswill Akpabio has said Nigeria must go beyond mere survival and position itself as a leader in agricultural innovation and food production across Africa.
He made the remark on Wednesday at the opening of the maiden National Legislative Summit and Expo on Agricultural Colleges and Institutions held at the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture in Ibadan.
The summit, themed “Unfolding the Potential of Agricultural Colleges and Institutions through Collaboration and Innovation to Enhance Food Security and Job Creation,” brought together lawmakers, researchers, development partners, students and stakeholders in the agricultural sector.
Represented by Deputy Senate Majority Leader, Senator Ashiru Oyetola, Akpabio said Nigeria must move from dependence to competitiveness by transforming its agricultural sector into a modern and productive industry.
According to him, great nations built their prosperity on agriculture long before expanding into manufacturing and technology.
“We must move from potential to performance. The story of great nations teaches us that prosperity often begins from the soil,” he said.
“Agriculture built economies before oil ever did. This summit is not simply about colleges and institutions; it is about the future of Nigeria and whether we will rise to meet the demands of our time with courage, intelligence and unity of purpose.”
Akpabio stressed that agriculture now extends beyond traditional farming practices and must embrace research, mechanisation, biotechnology, irrigation science, climate adaptation, innovation and data-driven productivity.
“The farmer of the 21st century must become not only a cultivator of crops, but also a manager of science, information and enterprise,” he said.
He described agricultural colleges and research institutions as “laboratories of national survival” and “training grounds for the food security architects of tomorrow.”
The Senate President urged researchers, academics and innovators to support national development through discoveries and practical solutions capable of strengthening food security, reducing post-harvest losses, improving food processing and creating jobs.
He also noted that despite Nigeria’s vast arable land, favourable climate conditions and large agricultural market, the country has yet to fully convert its agricultural potential into sustainable prosperity.
“For too long, our agricultural sector has remained largely dependent on subsistence practices while research institutions, colleges of agriculture and extension systems have not received the strategic integration and modernisation they deserve,” he added.
Chairman of the Senate Committee on Agricultural Colleges and Institutions, Senator Sharafadeen Alli, said the summit was aimed at repositioning agricultural institutions as drivers of food security, youth empowerment, innovation and economic growth.
Alli said the gathering would strengthen collaboration among policymakers, institutions, investors and development partners while promoting actionable policy recommendations for agricultural education and national development.
Participants at the summit included representatives from the Rubber Research Institute of Nigeria, National Centre for Agricultural Mechanisation, National Agricultural Extension and Research Liaison Services and the Nigerian Institute for Oil Palm Research.
