Lagos State is targeting a doubling of its food self-sufficiency level to 40 per cent, with the government banking on increased agricultural production, food processing and improved distribution infrastructure to boost local food supply and meet growing demand.
Speaking for Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu at the recent 2026 Eko World Food Day celebration in Ikeja, Deputy Governor Obafemi Hamzat said the state’s five-year Agricultural and Food Systems Roadmap was designed to raise food sufficiency from about 20 per cent to 40 per cent of demand.
In his remarks at the event, Hamzat said the state needs to move towards sourcing food more efficiently from other states while increasing processing and producation capacity as well as reducing waste.
The state government also renewed its partnership with the BATN Foundation, which is aimed at improving farmers’ livelihoods and strengthening the food system, according to a statement obtained by The Punch on Thursday.
Hamzat said achieving the target will depend on whether planned infrastructure and distribution networks can move food efficiently from farms to markets and make it more affordable for residents.
“We cannot achieve food security by expanding farmland; we achieve it by producing more on the land we have,” he said.
“…the roadmap prioritises infrastructure and markets, production and processing, human capital development, innovation, and farmer support. Key interventions include the development of a central food security and logistics hub, middle-level agricultural produce hubs, and last-mile distribution networks,” the statement issued by Kingsley Ogbonna on behalf of the BATN Foundation added.
The government’s plan includes a central food security and logistics hub at Ketu-Ereyun, Epe, mid-level agro-produce hubs and last-mile distribution networks intended to reduce intermediaries and food waste.
The first phase of the central hub was reported to be at an advanced stage, while hubs at Abijo in Ibeju-Lekki and Dairy Farm in Agege had been commissioned.
Construction was ongoing at Opebi in Ikeja and Bombata on Lagos Island, according to reports of the governor’s address.
The food security push also relies on support for farmers and agribusinesses. Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Systems Abisola Olusanya said the state had invested in agricultural training, mechanisation, processing, livestock development, aquaculture and food distribution.
She said the government was treating agriculture as an interconnected system involving farmers, processors, traders, logistics operators, financial institutions and consumers, rather than focusing on production alone.
The BATN Foundation said its partnership with the Lagos government had improved the livelihoods of more than 4,000 smallholder farmers since 2019 and engaged over 10,000 shoppers, while generating millions of naira in income for participating farmers.
Speaking at the event, the foundation’s Board Director, Ruth Owojaiye, said the Eko World Food Day celebration demonstrated how collaboration could create economic opportunities for farmers and agripreneurs while strengthening links across the agricultural value chain.
Owojaiye said the foundation had invested more than ₦5bn in empowerment initiatives and reached over 1.9 million beneficiaries through programmes including agricultural training, input support and improved access to water.
She stressed the need for continued investment in women, young people, rural communities and smallholder farmers, including access to knowledge, resources, technology and partnerships.
0 Comments