The National Food Systems Task Team, in partnership with stakeholders, has unveiled Nigeria’s first comprehensive report mapping the involvement of over 6,000 young people in the country’s food systems.
The report was launched during the maiden Youth in Food Systems Convening in Abuja on Wednesday.
It was themed, “Empowering the Future: Unleashing Youth Potential for Resilient and Sustainable Food Systems Transformation in Nigeria”.
Mr Azeez Salawu, National Youth Lead for the UN Food Systems Summit (UNFSS) Nigeria, called the launch “the beginning of a new era defined by youth-led transformation of our food systems”.
“This report is a blueprint for action, a compass for investment, and a call for systems-level reform.
“It is a space to convene voices, spotlight success, reward excellence, and ignite bold partnerships, “Salawu said.
He noted that this is the first large-scale effort by Nigeria to document the diverse roles and contributions of young people across the country’s food systems.
“Youth are leading across all segments, from production to policy, from innovation to investment. Over 50 per cent of those surveyed are managing agribusiness ventures.
“Yet, key challenges include access to land, finance, storage infrastructure, and market linkages,” he said.
He added that Nigerian youth are innovating in climate-smart agriculture, digital platforms, processing technologies, and supply chains.
“This report is not staying within these four walls. Next week, Nigeria will showcase it at the UNFSS Stocktaking Moment in Ethiopia.
“It signals that Nigeria is serious about youth empowerment, not just through rhetoric, but with evidence-based programming, investment and policy,” Salawu said.
He likened the report to a seed and the convening to fertile soil, stating: “The time to water them with investment, trust, and opportunity is now”.
Dr Sanjo Faniran, National Convenor of UNFSS Nigeria, noted that the future of Nigeria’s food systems rests on its youth, who make up 60 per cent of the population.
“Unlocking youth potential is not just a development priority but a national imperative.
“This report highlights youth not just as participants, but as trailblazers, from producers and processors to marketers, researchers and innovators,” Faniran said.
According to him, the mapping provides evidence to guide implementation and accountability as Nigeria prepares for the UNFSS+4 process.
Presenting the report findings, Mr Adekunle Adeoye, Youth Representative on the National Task Team, said the study focused on youths aged 15 to 45 and assessed their engagement across the agricultural value chain.
He said the study aimed to document youth-centric innovations, examine constraints shaping participation, and inform inclusive, pragmatic policy responses.
“Though national policies promote youth entrepreneurship in agriculture, there is limited empirical evidence on actual youth participation. This report fills that gap,” Adeoye said.
He recommended designing support programmes that reflect the diversity of agribusinesses and address existing barriers to help scale youth-led innovations.
