Lagos moves to expand food sector, boost workforce skills

The Lagos State Government has called for a shift from conventional approaches to agriculture and employment generation, arguing that food security and economic productivity depend on building stronger connections between businesses, technology, skills development and the wider economy.

The state government said it was expanding its development strategy beyond agricultural production and conventional job creation to harness opportunities across the food value chain, equip young people with market-relevant skills and improve the productivity of businesses.

The Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Systems, Abisola Olusanya, at the Lagos Food Systems Nexus 2026 held on Thursday, said food security could not be addressed as an agricultural problem alone.

Also, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Wealth Creation and Employment, Ololade Aina, called for a more productive workforce capable of responding to changing economic and technological demands.

Both officials spoke at the same event in Lagos on Thursday, where discussions centred on the future of the state’s food economy, employment generation and economic productivity.

The commissioner said the traditional understanding of agriculture had been too narrowly focused on farming, despite the economic activities generated through food processing, distribution, technology, retail and other businesses.

She said, “For too long, our understanding of agriculture has been confined largely to what happens on the farm. Yet, the economic life of food extends well beyond production.

“It is present in the businesses that transform what we grow, the markets that determine its value, the technology changing how we trade, and the millions of everyday transactions that connect food to the lives of our people.”

She added, “A country can increase agricultural production and still struggle with food insecurity. That contradiction should tell us that the problem demands a much broader understanding.”

According to the commissioner, the Lagos Food Systems Nexus was the culmination of a five-year Agricultural and Food Systems Roadmap developed early in the administration of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to broaden the state’s approach to agriculture and food security.

She said the government had supported young entrepreneurs through grants and the development of an ecosystem for innovation, but stressed that their business growth and job creation efforts were products of their own enterprise.

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Highlighting the potential of the food economy to create opportunities for young Nigerians, he said, “The food economy is far bigger than the farmer. Think of Amoke Oge and Chowdeck, and the definition of agriculture changes.”

The commissioner urged stakeholders to look beyond their traditional areas of expertise and recognise the commercial opportunities available across the food system.

Similarly, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Wealth Creation and Employment, said Lagos needed to anticipate changes in the world of work by investing in human capital and developing a workforce that was adaptable, skilled, innovative and globally competitive.

In her opening remarks at the pre-summit briefing for the fourth Lagos Employment Summit, she said the state’s employment strategy must move beyond simply creating jobs to developing the talent and capabilities required to sustain economic growth.

She said, “Our focus must now extend beyond job creation to building the right talent, strengthening workforce capabilities, improving enterprise productivity and ensuring that our residents are adequately equipped to take advantage of emerging economic opportunities.”

The permanent secretary said the forthcoming summit, themed Lagos Works: Building Africa’s Most Productive City, with the sub-theme A Decade of Impact: The Next Frontier of Talent, would provide a platform for government, employers, entrepreneurs, development partners and industry experts to develop practical responses to employment and enterprise challenges.

She noted that the Ministry of Wealth Creation and Employment, working with the Lagos State Employment Trust Fund, had spent the past decade implementing interventions in enterprise development, skills acquisition, access to finance and employment generation.

She said the interventions had helped strengthen businesses and expand opportunities for residents to participate in the state’s economy.

The permanent secretary added that technological advancement, innovation and changing labour market demands made it necessary for Lagos to continually review its approach to workforce development.

She said building a productive city required collaboration among government, private businesses, educational and training institutions, development partners and residents.

The Lagos Employment Summit 4.0 is scheduled to be held on Wednesday, November 18, 2026, at the Landmark Event Centre, Lagos.a