Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has reiterated the importance of food security, assuring residents that the state is committed to strengthening its food system.
Sanwo-Olu spoke at the 2026 Lagos Food Systems Nexus, held on Thursday in Ikeja.
The event, themed “Food Security Is Not an Agricultural Problem: Connecting the Dots,” brought together stakeholders from across the agricultural value chain.
The governor described food security as the most important form of security, saying access to affordable food remained a major challenge worldwide.
He said food security was a critical livelihood issue requiring urgent attention from governments at all levels.
“The most important security is not guns, bows or arrows. The most important security globally today is food.
“Food continues to be a major issue that advanced, emerging and developing nations are still grappling with.
“Food is the single most important element of human livelihood, and as a nation and a people, we have neglected it so much that we feel that, as Lagos, we have to put it at the forefront,” he said.
Sanwo-Olu said President Bola Tinubu had also recognised the importance of supporting farmers, including through interest-free financial assistance, to address food security challenges.
He said the Lagos Food Road Map, launched about four years ago, remained on course, supported by funding and contributions from the private sector, state governments and the Federal Government.
However, he said the initiative’s success depended largely on the active participation of stakeholders across the food value chain.
He urged participants to understand the state’s vision and contribute to efforts to build a sustainable food system.
The state’s Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Systems, Abisola Olusanya, said Lagos’s approach to food security went beyond agricultural production.
Her seven and a half years in public service, she said, had reinforced her understanding that the food economy extended beyond farmers.
Food security also involved businesses that process agricultural produce, markets, technology and other activities connecting producers with consumers, she said.
Olusanya said increased agricultural production alone did not necessarily guarantee food security, making it essential to address challenges across the entire food system.
She said Lagos had adopted a broader approach by treating food security as both an economic and agricultural issue.
The Lagos Food Systems Nexus, she said, was the result of efforts to broaden understanding of agriculture and strengthen connections across the food economy.
The event brought together stakeholders from the private sector, academic institutions, multilateral organisations and development partners, whose expertise and decisions were crucial to the future of food, she said.
Olusanya urged stakeholders to explore opportunities across the food economy and strengthen collaboration to address existing challenges.
A more coordinated approach, she said, would help unlock the food sector’s commercial potential and promote sustainable food security.
“As we begin today’s conversations, I hope we will look at the food economy with fresh eyes, recognise opportunities beyond our individual areas of expertise, and appreciate how much more is possible when we understand the connections between them,” she said.
