The National Assembly has reaffirmed its commitment to revitalizing Nigeria’s agricultural sector through legislative reform and research-driven policy.
Senator Sharafadeen Abiodun Alli, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Agricultural Colleges and Institutions made this disclosure during a media parley held at the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Press Centre in Ibadan.
The event served as a curtain-raiser for the maiden National Legislative Summit on Agricultural Colleges and Institutions, is expected to kick-off tomorrow, May 12, through May 15, 2026, at the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Ibadan.
While addressing the journalists, Senator Alli emphasized that Nigeria’s agricultural potential is currently hindered by a disconnect between researchers and local farmers.
He noted that while Nigerian scientists have developed game-changing innovations such as cocoa seedlings that fruit in 18 months rather than seven years, and high-productivity cassava varieties, many farmers remain stuck in traditional, less-efficient methods.
According to him, “all that we do without research is guesswork,” Alli stated, stressing that the summit aims to ensure research findings translate into tangible economic benefits.
The lawmaker who lamented Nigeria’s decline in global markets, citing the oil palm industry as a cautionary tale, recalled that Malaysia, which once obtained seedlings from Nigeria, has since overtaken the country due to superior policy implementation and research support.
The summit, which features the First Lady of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, as the Special Guest of Honour, is designed to be a high-level melting pot for Policymakers and Research Institutes, International Partners: Including the European Union, GIZ, and the British High Commission.
Addressing the twin challenges of unemployment and food preservation, Senator Alli revealed that the committee has initiated programmes targeting women and youths.
These include: Support for land preparation and harvesting as well as the introduction of solar-powered dryers to reduce waste and improve food shelf-life and connecting rural farmers to wider commercial networks.
Earlier in his welcome address, NUJ Chairman, Akeem Abas, described the summit as a “timely intervention” for national food security.
Similarly, Dr. Adedeji Abiodun Rasheed, Acting Executive Director of the Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria (CRIN), and Professor Oluwatosin Gabriel both lauded the legislative focus, calling for increased private sector involvement to augment government funding for research.
As deliberations begin tomorrow, the summit is expected to produce a roadmap for commercializing agricultural research, empowering the next generation of farmers, and securing Nigeria’s position as a regional agricultural powerhouse.
