The 11th edition of AgroFood Nigeria, held from 24–26 March 2026 at the Landmark Centre in Lagos, records its highest level of international participation to date, reinforcing its role as a key platform for technology exchange and investment across West Africa's agro-industrial value chain. With 137 exhibitors from 17 countries, the event continues to attract global solution providers and regional decision-makers seeking to scale agricultural production and processing capacity.
Organised by fairtrade Messe in cooperation with Modion Communications, agrofood Nigeria covers the full spectrum of the industry, from primary agriculture and greenhouse systems to food processing, ingredients and packaging. For greenhouse professionals, the exhibition offers a concentrated overview of technologies supporting controlled-environment agriculture, irrigation efficiency and yield optimisation.
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Greenhouse relevance in a growing food market
Nigeria's food market continues to expand rapidly, driven by strong population growth and increasing urbanisation. Despite ongoing investments in local production, a significant share of food demand is still met through imports, highlighting opportunities for domestic production systems, including greenhouse cultivation.
However, stakeholders emphasise that production alone will not address supply challenges. Post-harvest losses remain a major constraint, with inadequate storage and logistics infrastructure undermining efficiency across the value chain. As one stakeholder noted during the event, "Ramping up production is not the problem. It is the storing of the produce that you have made. If you are doing a loss of 50%, and you're ramping up production, you are ramping up 50% of losses."
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International partnerships drive technology transfer
The Netherlands, participating as Guest of Honour, is playing a central role in showcasing advanced horticultural and greenhouse solutions. A dedicated trade mission brought companies specialising in greenhouse design, irrigation, and agrologistics into direct engagement with Nigerian stakeholders.
Reflecting on the exhibition, the team at East-West Trade & Consulting stated, "It's been so amazing going around the pavilion and seeing all of the technology that's now gone into agriculture and how some of those could be implemented in our local environment." The delegation also facilitated workshops on horticulture investment, solar energy applications in agriculture, and the development of local centres of excellence.
These initiatives underline the importance of adapting greenhouse technologies to regional conditions, ensuring both technical feasibility and economic viability.
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Financing and policy alignment remain critical
While technology availability is increasing, stakeholders pointed to structural barriers that continue to limit adoption. Access to appropriate financing remains a key concern, particularly for capital-intensive greenhouse and irrigation projects. One participant noted that short-term financing solutions are insufficient, stating that "a 90-day facility does not do anybody any good in agriculture."
In addition, policy implementation at national and state levels was identified as a determining factor for sector growth. Stakeholders highlighted the need for sustained public investment and alignment with continental agricultural development targets to unlock private sector participation.
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From production to market efficiency
A recurring theme throughout the event was the need to improve the link between production and market access. While primary production capacity is increasing, inefficiencies in transport, storage and distribution continue to drive losses.
As the team at East-West Trade & Consulting emphasised, "Growing the food is not the problem, but reducing the waste that comes from being able to transport from farm to market." This reinforces the role of cold chain systems and integrated logistics alongside greenhouse production in strengthening food security.
For more information:
AgroFood Nigeria 2026
https://www.agrofood-nigeria.com/
For more information:
East-West Trade & Consulting
[email protected]
+31 (0)70 221 2168
