The Ogun State Waste Management Authority (OGWAMA) has arrested and prosecuted 108 alleged violators of environmetal laws in Abeokuta.
The Special Adviser to the Governor on OGWAMA, Farook Akintunde, disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday, April 8, 2026, in Abeokuta, the state capital.
He said that the offenders were apprehended by the agency’s enforcement team in various parts of the state capital for dumping refuse on roadsides, public place and medians, in violation of the state’s waste management law.
The Special Adviser to the Governor on OGWAMA, Farook Akintunde
Akintunde said the offenders had been prosecuted in customary courts across the capital and fined to serve as a deterrent to others.
He expressed concern that some residents continued to dispose of waste indiscriminately despite government efforts to ensure proper waste collection at residents’ doorsteps.
“It is unfortunate that we have to take this route to stop some individuals from dumping waste indiscriminately on roadsides and in public places.
“We have sensitised, appealed and encouraged them to hand over their waste to the Private Sector Participants (PSP) assigned to their areas for proper disposal, but to no avail,” he said.
Akintunde reiterated the state government’s resolve to sustain the enforcement exercise until compliance improves.
“We are determined to continue this exercise until residents desist from indiscriminate dumping of waste, especially as the state is improving its waste management system,” he said.
The governor’s aide warned that improper waste disposal could lead to flooding and groundwater contamination, particularly during the rainy season.
Akintunde advised residents to comply with waste management regulations or risk prosecution, adding that the government would not tolerate wastes on roadsides causing eyesore to the environment.
A chieftain of All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Sam Onuigbo, says the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu is yielding results that will make the party the one to beat in the 2027 general elections.
Onuigbo, a former member of the House of Representatives, stated this in an interview in Abuja on Thursday, April 9, 2026.
He said that several economic and social reforms, including the removal of the fuel subsidy and the unification of the foreign exchange rate, had set Nigeria on a path of long-term greatness.
Rep. Sam Onuigbo
According to him, the removal of fuel subsidy has significantly increased the revenue available to state governments, enabling them to execute more projects.
“Today, the governors are having so much money, which is the fallout of the removal of fuel subsidy. That is helping those who truly want to work in their states to execute numerous projects.
“Before President Tinubu came, governors were going cap-in-hand looking for bailouts to pay salaries. Today, is anybody still going cap-in-hand to pay salaries? The answer is No.
“We give credit to the president for being courageous in taking that decision,” he said.
Onuigbo also highlighted the successful implementation of the student loan scheme and the unification of exchange rate as key milestones of the current administration.
He added that the foreign exchange reforms had provided a level of predictability for investors, which was absent during the period of “uncertainty and jumping rates”.
“You also talk about major infrastructural projects, and there is the Ministry of Interior, where it is now easy to get passports. These are things that seemed impossible before now,” Onuigbo said.
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Federal Operations Unit (FOU) Zone ‘B’, has intensified its crackdown on endangered species trafficking with the interception of additional live pangolins along the Kano-Takai Jigawa axis.
This is contained in a statement by Mohammad Balarabe, the acting Public Relations Officer, Zone “B” Kaduna.
According to the statement, the latest seizure, which occurred on March 26, 2026, at about 1:00 p.m., marks the second major interception within a fortnight, following a similar operation carried out on March 12.
The Customs officers with the intercepted live pangolins
The seizures were effected in line with the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), an international agreement to which Nigeria is a signatory, prohibiting trade that threatens the survival of endangered species.
According to the unit, operatives acting on credible intelligence intercepted a suspicious vehicle during a routine patrol.
“A search of the vehicle led to the discovery of the live pangolins concealed within.
“All rescued animals from both operations have been transported to the FOU Zone ‘B’ headquarters in Kaduna for further processing and eventual handover to relevant wildlife authorities.
“The Comptroller of the Unit, Aminu Sule, ordered a comprehensive investigation aimed at dismantling the syndicate behind the illegal trade.
“The frequency of these interceptions, twice within a fortnight, demonstrates our heightened surveillance.
“This seizure sends a clear message: Zone ‘B’ will not be a transit point or a safe haven for wildlife traffickers,” the statement said.
The NCS reiterated its commitment to enforcing environmental laws and international treaties to safeguard Nigeria’s biodiversity and uphold its global conservation obligations.
Pangolins are widely regarded as the most trafficked mammals globally, driven by illegal demand for their scales and meat.
Some farmers in the country have proffered workable solutions to address Nigeria’s growing post-harvest losses estimated at $10 billion annually.
The farmers proffered the solutions in separate interviews on Thursday, April 9, 2026, in Lagos.
Nigeria loses an estimated 30 per cent to 50 per cent of its total annual agricultural output to post-harvest waste.
Post-harvest losses
The losses estimated at approximately ₦3.5 trillion annually, and roughly at $3.7 billion to $10 billion, are majorly driven by poor storage, inefficient transportation, and limited processing capacity.
The most affected post-harvest loss crops include and are not limited to fruits, vegetables, and tubers.
An agriculture analyst and crop farmer, Mr. Omotunde Banjoko, identified bad roads, multiple taxations and poor storage facilities as the major causes of Nigeria’s post-harvest losses index.
“Before now, we used to say Nigeria’s post harvest loss is estimated at about N3 trillion annually, but more recent reports indicate it is about N5 trillion annually. That’s a huge number and that calls for concern for everybody.
“We should look at where does these losses actually occur. It occurs most times because the farmers can’t even move out what they have produced on the farm to the nearest market or to the off takers in good time.
“The state of our roads is a major issue. Most of our farm roads are not good. So, if a farmer produces, no transporter is willing to go there to pick the produce. The ones that even try to pick the produce get stuck because of bad roads.
“We should look at both the local government, the state government and some federal roads. Roads connecting the farms, the production hubs. They don’t need to cost so much for funding, but they can be well graded.
“We need to have good roads so that easily we can move out the produce, the bad roads are a major constraint to resolving post-harvest losses in the country,” Banjoko said.
According to him, another factor that elicits post-harvest losses is the various stops on the roads, while these products are being transported.
“Farmers face a lot of delays due to multiple taxations from security personnel on our roads.
“A truck of vegetables I was personally transporting to Lagos State from Ogun State was stopped by security personnel and we were delayed for more than a day.
“By the time they released my truck in the morning, I just told them to go and dispose of the vegetables because they had gone bad and no longer had the quality to be sold fresh in the market.
“So, we consider the multiple tax, and the frequent stops by local security agencies on the road; they frustrate a lot of farmers which in turn results in post-harvest losses we are currently dealing with,” he said.
He also stressed the need for adequate cold chain storage facilities in various markets in the country.
“We also need adequate cold chain storage facilities in our markets to address post-harvest losses.
“Most markets and off takers don’t have adequate storage facilities or handling equipment that can hold these things fresh for a longer period.
“So, we also have to look at the quality of the processing facilities or holding facilities that we have in our market to be able to hold this produce fresh.
“There are cooling trucks that can be provided to keep agro-produce fresh from the farm gate to the market and the ultimate consumer. There are also mini cooling trucks that can be provided.
“To address our growing post-harvest losses, as a nation, we should start looking at the aforementioned factors both as government and as private investors,” the expert said.
On his part, the Secretary-General of All Farmers Association of Nigeria, Mr. Femi Oke, noted that farmers must collaborate with the government at all levels to address the growing post-harvest losses rate in the country.
“What we have seen mostly as a cause for the increasing post-harvest losses we are experiencing is the negligence on some parts of farmers and the government on preservation of our agriproducts.
“We have concerns over the post-harvest losses of most of our agro-produce and we need to preserve, because mostly we hardly preserve our harvests.
“For example, over the years, we have spoken about the disadvantage of using rafia baskets to transport tomatoes from one part of the country to another but still in 2026 the same baskets are still being used.
“They are unhygienic and definitely farmers face huge losses every time they are used except we adopt government and the farmer’s research institute approved crates we may continue in this loss,” Oke said.
He also stressed the need for reconstruction of silos for preservation of grains by the government.
“The government also needs to reconstruct our silos for preservation of grains so we can increase our food reserves and prevent food shortages due to post-harvest losses.
“Farmers also need to be trained and retrained on better measures to preserve the approaches and prevent post-harvest losses. We need to equip our farmers with the necessary information to cut down these losses in the country.
“The Federal Government should engage more extension officers to help farmers navigate areas where they can reduce post-harvest losses of their produce,” he said.
The World Liquid Gas Association (WLGA) is participating in the Sub-Saharan Africa LPG Expo taking place from April 9 to 10, 2026, in Johannesburg, South Africa, at a time of heightened demand for liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) in southern African cities.
Michael Kelly, Chief Advocacy Officer and Deputy Managing Director of WLGA, joins over 2,000 delegates from the international energy community and clean cooking experts to accelerate LPG use in Africa.
Michael Kelly, Chief Advocacy Officer and Deputy Managing Director of World Liquid Gas Association (WLGA)
Key moments of the Expo will include:
A Cooking for Life Workshop, hosted by the WLGA Cooking for Life Africa Taskforce will empower individuals to share proven strategies for expanding LPG access and best practices for clean cooking programmes.
The official launch of the Saudi Forward7 Initiative Africa Clean Cooking Competition, a cross-sector programme designed to identify and scale innovative clean cooking solutions across Africa.
Taking place under the theme of “Clean Cooking for a Greener, Healthier Sub-Saharan Africa” the Expo will highlight that LPG is abundant, affordable, and deployable today and has driven around 70% of global clean-cooking gains since 2010.
The Expo is another critical milestone for the global LPG community ahead of the IEA’s second Summit on Clean Cooking in Africa set to take place from July 9 to 10, 2026, in Nairobi, Kenya, as well as the WLGA’s Liquid Gas Week which will convene the global LPG industry in Istanbul, Turkey, from October 12 to 16, 2026, under the theme “Resilience in a Changing World”.
Natacha Cambriels, VP LPG and Clean Cooking, TotalEnergies and Cooking for Life Africa Taskforce Chair, said: “The first Sub-Saharan Africa LPG Expo arrives at a critical time for our industry against a backdrop of geopolitical instability that is already affecting critical LPG markets like India. The WLGA Cooking for Life Africa Taskforce shows that the private sector is building the infrastructure and driving the technical innovation needed to facilitate the rollout of clean cooking solutions across a complex supply chain.
“This Expo is a critical milestone on the road to Nairobi and Istanbul, which the private sector and governments must use as a platform to accelerate clean energy access and clean cooking across the world.”
Michael Kelly, Chief Advocacy Officer and Deputy Managing Director, World Liquid Gas Association, said: “Now more than ever our industry needs to go further and faster. We have the fuel and the technology for deployment, and it is now a case for regulation to move at the same pace.
“Specifically, we need coherent regulations on cylinder management across Africa, which is a key chokehold on progress. If we can make progress on this in 2026, we will have made a huge impact in unlocking LPG’s potential to drive a sustainable energy transition and ultimately save lives across Africa.”
In the Global South, LPG offers a cost-effective energy solution for over a billion people currently without grid access and leads directly to improved health and economic dignity of women and girls who bear the brunt of energy poverty. Since 2024, the global clean cooking community has achieved significant momentum:
$470 million has been disbursed across 22 African countries to accelerate deployment, with $2.2 billion total pledged.
LPG has driven 70% of global clean-cooking gains since 2010 and unlike large-scale electrification, it is affordable and deployable today.
900 million Africans still lack clean fuel, including 90% of schools, resulting in severe health impacts and widespread deforestation.
This progress however must be seen in the context of the past decade. The IEA’s World Energy Outlook released in November 2025, reveals that progress on clean cooking access has decelerated in recent years. While 100 million people gained access to clean cooking in 2023, this represents a decline from 120 million in 2019.
Accelerating this rate of change is crucial, as household air pollution from traditional cooking methods causes premature deaths and transitioning to clean cooking solutions could reduce these fatalities by nearly two-thirds globally by 2040.
The International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) has launched Africa’s first soybean speed breeding facility in Zambia, marking a major breakthrough in efforts to accelerate crop improvement and strengthen food systems across the region.
Soybean has emerged as one of the most strategic crops in Sub-Saharan Africa, supporting nutrition, livestock feed, and agro-industrial development. From soybean oil and soymilk to its critical role in the poultry industry, the crop is increasingly driving rural livelihoods, income generation, and economic growth.
With rising global demand, particularly from Asia, and shifting international market dynamics, Africa is well positioned to expand its role in soybean production. However, achieving this potential depends on faster development of improved varieties that meet the needs of farmers and markets.
Soybean has emerged as one of the most strategic crops in Sub-Saharan Africa
Traditionally, developing improved soybean varieties has been a lengthy and resource-intensive process, taking between six to eight years before new seeds reach farmers. This delay slows innovation and limits farmers’ ability to respond to emerging challenges.
In Southern Africa, pests and diseases compound these challenges, particularly soybean rust, which can significantly reduce yields. For many smallholder farmers, the cost of fungicides and the technical expertise required for disease management remain out of reach, highlighting the urgent need for early- to medium-maturing, high-yielding, and disease-resistant varieties.
The newly launched facility introduces speed breeding, an advanced technique that accelerates plant growth by optimising environmental conditions such as light, temperature, and humidity. This enables researchers to produce multiple crop generations within a single year, dramatically shortening breeding cycles.
With this innovation, the time required to develop new soybean varieties is expected to drop from six to eight years to just four to five years.
The facility is the first of its kind for soybean in Sub-Saharan Africa and only the second on the continent, following a similar facility in Morocco focused on wheat and barley. Its focus on soybean and other tropical crops, including cowpea, makes it uniquely suited to the region’s agricultural priorities.
By accelerating breeding cycles, the facility is expected to increase the number of improved soybean varieties available, reduce the time it takes for new seeds to reach farmers, enhance yield potential, and strengthen resilience to climate stress and diseases such as soybean rust.
Speaking during the inauguration on March 30, 2026, Zambia’s Director of Agriculture, Chizumbna Shepande, emphasised the significance of the investment.
“This facility strengthens our ability to respond to the growing global demand for soybeans, particularly in light of shifting international market dynamics,” Shepande said.
The facility aligns with Zambia’s national target of producing one million tons of soybean by 2030. Achieving this goal will depend on access to improved, high-yielding varieties and stronger seed systems.
Soybean plays a critical role in crop rotation, improving soil fertility, supporting livestock feed, particularly for poultry and driving agro-processing industries that create jobs and economic opportunities.
Dr Shepande added, “Achieving this target requires innovation, improved seed systems, and access to high-performing varieties.”
While the facility primarily supports research, its impact extends across the agricultural ecosystem, benefiting universities, national research systems, and regional breeding networks, including the Soybean Improvement Network supported by the Gates Foundation.
Dr David Chikoye, Director of IITA’s Southern Africa Hub, and IITA Zambia Country Director, highlighted the importance of partnerships and farmer-centered innovation.
“Our focus is on developing early- to medium-maturing soybean varieties that are high-yielding, climate-resilient, and resistant to diseases such as soybean rust – traits that are critical for smallholder farmers. Through collaboration with partners, we are strengthening soybean breeding systems across Africa and accelerating agricultural transformation.”
Jeff Ehlers, Senior Programme Officer at the Gates Foundation, added, “This investment is targeted toward smallholder farmers, who are often underserved by the private sector. Through on-farm varietal testing, we can better understand farmers’ preferences and ensure improved varieties meet their needs.”
The launch of the soybean speed breeding facility represents more than new research infrastructure, it marks a turning point in how crop improvement is approached in sub-Saharan Africa.
By combining science, innovation, and strategic partnerships, the facility is set to accelerate breeding timelines, expand access to improved varieties, boost farmer productivity and incomes, and strengthen food systems across the region.
As climate change, population growth, and global market pressures continue to reshape agriculture, innovations such as speed breeding are not just beneficial – they are essential.
The All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), Lagos State Chapter, has lauded the Federal Government’s approval of 57 crop varieties to strengthen agricultural productivity in the country.
The Lagos State AFAN Chairman, Mr. Sakin Agbayewa, disclosed this in an interview on Wednesday, April 8, 2026, in Lagos.
In March 2026, the Nigerian Federal Government approved 57 new improved crop varieties to boost food security, improve nutrition, and strengthen agricultural productivity.
Participants at the sensitisation programme at Nnewi North Local Government Area of Anambra State
The crops, selected for early maturity, higher yields, and resistance to pests and diseases, include 14 different types of staples, with notable advancements in rice, maize, yam, soybean, and plantain.
Agbayewa noted that the approval of the crop varieties would help improve the yields of farmers in the state.
“We are excited to hear about the 57 new varieties of crops recently approved.
“What we desire currently in crop farming is not just about planting, it is about increased yield.
“A farmer can have a plot of land and have a high yield and another can have big plots of land and have a low yield.
“So, if when are talking about food security, it starts from the varieties you are planting and it starts from the seedlings.
“Improved seed varieties as well as improved seedlings will always give you higher yield on minimal land.
“You can barely imagine the higher yield farmers with larger land size will get with an improved seedling varieties,” Agbayewa said.
He described the introduction of the crops as a new development for crop cultivation.
“So, for us as an association, the introduction of the 57 crop is a good development for crop cultivation.
“It will help to curb the food insecurity we are talking about and shortage of food in the near future. It is a good one.
“This newly approved 57 crop varieties should however be popularised among local farmers because not everyone is aware of this latest development.
“There are a lot of issues currently affecting the cultivation of crops and the development of improved crop varieties will help the farmer’s productivity.
“Issues such as climate change effects, inconsistent rainfall patterns and weather clash among others are affecting farmers’ yield.
“So, what we want now is to have improved crop varieties that will give us higher yield,” he said.
Agbayewa said there should be massive advocacy of the approved crop varieties across the board for farmers.
“There should be a massive advocacy of the approved crop varieties across the board so that our farmers will be able to eat from their sweat and at the same time save the nation.
“We are excited that this new crop varieties was done in Nigeria and not by foreigners. It shows that our researchers are now waking up.
“The government is now waking up to their responsibility.
“So, we are now growing our own and eating our own varieties, which is good. And we are calling for more research like this to be done.
“With more research done, we will no longer be scared of genetically modified crops that will affect our people,” he said.
In a related development, stakeholders in Anambra State have said that effective implementation of climate-smart agriculture and bamboo development strategies could generate over 20,000 jobs for youths and significantly boost the state’s economy.
The stakeholders made the assertion at a sensitisation programme held at Nnewi North Local Government Area of Anambra on Wednesday.
The programme, themed “Sowing Seeds, Growing Future,” was organised by the Nigeria Youth Parliament in collaboration with the Sahelian Institute for Bamboo Research and Entrepreneurial Development (SIBRED).
Delivering the keynote address, former Commissioner for Agriculture, Dr Forster Ihejiofor, said a structured investment in bamboo and climate-smart agriculture could transform rural economies and tackle environmental challenges.
According to Ihejiofor, climate-smart agriculture rests on three pillars – productivity enhancement, climate adaptation and mitigation.
He proposed a phased implementation roadmap from 2026 to 2030, including statewide awareness campaigns, pilot youth demonstration farms and establishment of bamboo plantation clusters across the three senatorial zones in the state.
“If fully implemented, this initiative will reduce erosion impact across vulnerable communities, create more than 20,000 youth jobs, improve food security and raise rural incomes.
“It will also strengthen the state’s internally generated revenue through value chain development and export opportunities
“Bamboo is ‘Anambra’s green gold’, with wide applications ranging from erosion control and land restoration to construction, furniture, renewable energy and international trade.
“The opportunities in bamboo alone can reposition the state economically while addressing pressing environmental concerns,” he said.
In his remarks, the Vice-Chancellor of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Prof. Joseph Ikechebelu, represented by Prof. Kingsley Ubaoji, said the initiative aligned with efforts to rekindle youth interest in agriculture.
He emphasised the need for government and stakeholders to invest in the sector to reduce dependence on imported food.
Also speaking, the Permanent Secretary, Anambra Ministry of Agriculture, Mrs. Ifeyinwa Uzoka, called for stronger commitment to organic farming to promote healthy living.
Uzoka warned against harmful practices in food processing, such as the use of detergents in cassava and dye in palm oil, urging stakeholders to prioritise agriculture in their community development plans.
She also highlighted a proposed Public-Private-Community Partnership initiative with Honda Agro and Power Products to support farmers, encouraging participants to leverage the opportunity.
Earlier, Mr. Chibuike Obiwuzie, lawmaker representing Anambra South in the Nigeria Youth Parliament, said the programme was designed to empower youths in the zone to take advantage of opportunities in agriculture.
Another speaker, Dr John Ogbodo, Director of SIBRED, underscored the importance of youth engagement in bamboo entrepreneurship.
The event featured a field demonstration of Honda Motorised Back Sprayer and Tiller equipment.
The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) has concluded plans to host the fourth edition of its Quarterly Book Reading Programme, featuring renownedleadership expert and former Director General of Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA, Dr. Dakuku Peterside.
The book reading session will hold on Wednesday, April 15, 2026, at the Nigerian Content Tower, Yenagoa, Bayelsa State.
Dr. Dakuku Peterside
The programme is part of NCDMB’s sustained effort to promote literacy, critical thinking, and knowledge exchange through structured engagement with leading Nigerian authors and thought leaders. Since its start in August 2014, the book reading series has served as a platform for intellectual discourse on thematic subjects, while reinforcing NCDMB’s commitment to human capital development beyond the oil and gas sector.
This edition will focus on Dr. Peterside’s book Leading in a Storm, which explores practical approaches to leadership in times of uncertainty, crisis, and institutional change. Participants will engage with the author through a reading session, an interactive question-and-answer segment, and a book signing, providing a direct interface between the author and a diverse audience of professionals, industry stakeholders, and emerging leaders.
Dr. Peterside is recognised for his work in crisis leadership, public sector reform, and organisational transformation. With over 24 years of leadership experience across both public and private sectors, he has led complex institutions and driven reforms aimed at improving performance and accountability. His contributions to leadership development have earned recognition from global scholars and practitioners, with Leading in a Storm described as a practical guide for navigating complex leadership challenges. The book was also named Book of the Year 2025 by THISDAY newspaper, further cementing its relevance in contemporary leadership discourse.
Beyond his professional engagements, Dr. Peterside serves as an adjunct lecturer at leading business schools, where he mentors emerging leaders and shares insights from his extensive experience. He is also the author of other publications and continues to contribute to leadership thought through research, writing, and advisory roles.
Speaking on the essence of the book reading programme, the General Manager, Corporate Communication NCDMB, Dr. Obinna Ezeobi, pointed that the programme seeks toencourage learning, innovation, and value-driven leadership. He referenced the Board’s capacity building mandate, highlighting that the agency views the engagements as critical to building a knowledge-based society and strengthening the capacity of individuals to respond effectively to evolving economic and institutional challenges.
Ezeobi further disclosed that this fourth edition is expected to attract a wide range of participants, including professionals from the oil and gas industry, academia, government institutions, students, media, and the public.
In his words, “this programme will provide an opportunity for meaningful dialogue on leadership, resilience, and transformation, while advancing the Board’s broader objective of fostering intellectual growth and national development.”
Some of the authors who have featured in the book reading programme have included former Editor of The PUNCH Newspaper, Mr. Dayo Oketola, who authored “The Catalyst: Nigerian Tech Evolution Through a Journalist’s Lens,”
the Senior Vice-chairman and Editor-in-chief at Leadership Newspaper, Mr. Azu Ishiekwene, was the first guest on the platform in the August 2024 edition, where he shared insights from his book, Writing for Media and Monetising It. King Bubaraye Dakolo, the Ibenanaowei of Ekpetiama Kingdom, Bayelsa State has also shared his book, The Pirates of the Gulf.
The Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA) has called for a transition from bulky environmental documentation to data-driven, performance-based reporting to enhance compliance, transparency and access to environmental financing.
General Manager of LASEPA, Dr Babatunde Ajayi, made the call during the 2026 annual training for environmental consultants on Wednesday, April 8, 2026, in Lagos.
Ajayi stressed the critical role consultants play in regulatory enforcement.
General Manager, LASEPA, Dr Babatunde Ajayi
Ajayi described environmental consultants as “pillars that hold the monitoring framework in place.”
He noted that government alone cannot effectively address environmental challenges without strong private sector collaboration.
Ajayi observed that the current number of consultants was insufficient to meet the expanding scope of environmental monitoring across the state.
He urged experienced professionals, including retired directors, to transition into consultancy roles to strengthen capacity.
He also emphasised mentorship, encouraging senior practitioners to groom younger professionals to sustain industry growth and expertise.
Highlighting ongoing reforms, Ajayi said the agency has fully digitised its operations, including consultant registration and report submissions through an online portal.
According to him, the system enables performance tracking, report verification and detection of duplicated or substandard submissions using automated tools, warning against copy-and-paste reporting.
He disclosed that Lagos has launched a carbon registry to track emissions and support sustainability reporting across industries.
He noted that the initiative would position companies to access climate finance and sustainability-linked funding.
Ajayi stressed that financial incentives would drive compliance, adding that businesses are more likely to adopt environmental standards when tied to funding opportunities.
He said financial institutions were increasingly prioritising companies that demonstrate measurable sustainability performance.
The agency, he added, plans to introduce performance-based rankings and awards for environmental consultants to promote quality reporting.
In her goodwill message, Prof. Kehinde Olayinka, an expert in analytical Chemistry at the University of Lagos, urged environmental consultants to move beyond documentation and focus on addressing the root causes of environmental pollution.
Olayinka noted that Nigerian companies expanding internationally now face stricter environmental requirements, including environmental audits and impact assessments, particularly when seeking foreign financing.
According to her, many long-standing companies without prior environmental compliance records are now compelled to meet global standards.
Olayinka stressed that environmental practice must go beyond producing reports to integrating sustainability into operations and driving measurable improvements in facilities.
“We need to become change agents,” she said.
She called for greater transparency among companies, host communities and regulators.
She added that adopting practical, locally relevant solutions would help Nigeria transition towards a more sustainable and healthier environment.
Earlier in his address of welcome, Mr. Ibrahim Salau, an environmental consultant, underscored the importance of data in environmental reports.
Salau contrasted reporting, citing cases where companies lost funding due to lack of measurable environmental metrics despite submitting detailed reports with firms that secured funding quickly by presenting concise, data-driven performance indicators.
He noted that the difference lied in clear, traceable metrics rather than the volume of documentation.
Salau said the training aims to equip consultants with the skills to produce reports that support decision-making and attract investment.
The theme of the training is “Beyond Documentation: Integrating Sustainability and Performance Metrics into Environmental Practice.”
Africa is home to the youngest population in the world, with over 60 percent under the age of 25. At the same time, agriculture remains one of the continent’s largest employers, engaging 50 to 65 percent of Africa’s labour force and contributing 17 to 30 percent of GDP, making it a critical driver of food security and economic growth.
In recent years, youth engagement has been central to agricultural policy. The African Union’s Malabo Declaration encourages member states to create jobs for young people across agricultural value chains. The African Development Bank’s ENABLE Youth Programme has supported thousands of agripreneurs in more than 30 countries.
Stephen Adeyemo
National initiatives such as Ghana’s Youth in Agriculture, Nigeria’s NPower Agro, and Kenya’s Ajira Digital and Agribusiness Fund reflect growing recognition of the role youth can play in driving transformation.
Yet, the reality often falls short. Young people are still mostly engaged as trainees or short-term participants rather than being supported to lead and invest. Many donor-funded projects provide training or small grants but rarely grow into sustainable agribusinesses.
Similarly, government employment schemes often rotate participants without creating long-term career or ownership opportunities. Closing this gap requires moving from temporary involvement to genuine empowerment, giving youth the tools, space, and confidence to become investors, innovators, and system builders in agriculture.
Why Participation Alone Is Not Enough
Across Africa, youth engagement is still largely driven by short-term programs and pilot initiatives. While valuable, these efforts rarely evolve into long-term opportunities or systemic change. According to the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), youth unemployment remains disproportionately high, even as agriculture shows untapped potential across entire value chains. This disconnect reveals a deeper issue: young people are rarely integrated into the structural and economic fabric of agricultural systems.
Moreover, youth engagement is too often confined to primary production, overlooking opportunities in processing, logistics, input supply, market systems, data services, and agribusiness innovation. Agriculture is far broader than farming, and Africa’s youth are far more than labour. Limiting youth to production sidelines the creativity and entrepreneurial capacity that could energise entire sectors.
The Systems Gap
The biggest barrier is not ambition. A young entrepreneur may complete a promising agribusiness programme but still lack the capital to start or expand a venture. Another may possess strong technical skills but encounter regulatory barriers or limited market access. These gaps hinder youth initiatives from developing into sustainable enterprises.
Robust and integrated systems are critical to link training with financing, policy with implementation, and innovation with market opportunities. Without alignment, the potential and drive of young people are unlikely to translate into sustained, measurable impact.
As Ndidi Nwuneli notes in her Stanford Social Innovation Review article, “Creating a Level Playing Field for Social Innovators in Africa”, transformation depends on the creation of inclusive systems that enable local innovators to lead. When the ecosystem is uneven, potential alone cannot drive change.
From Labour to Leadership
Many young people are still positioned at the lowest levels of agricultural value chains. While trained in production or value addition, they often lack access to the support systems needed to establish, grow, and sustain viable enterprises.
Yet young people are already demonstrating leadership and innovation across the continent. They are developing agri-tech solutions, managing input distribution networks, establishing aggregation models, and advancing climate-smart and regenerative agricultural practices. These successes have largely been achieved despite systemic constraints, rather than because of enabling ecosystems.
Unlocking youth potential requires creating structured pathways that enable their transition into leadership roles. This includes addressing barriers to land, finance, and markets, while expanding opportunities for mentorship, professional networks, and tailored business development support to foster sustainable and scalable youth-led enterprises.
Rethinking Youth Engagement
Moving beyond participation requires deliberate shifts across three dimensions:
From Programmes to Pathways Youth-focused initiatives should evolve beyond one-off interventions toward structured, end-to-end pathways linking skills development with finance, mentorship, and viable market opportunities. For instance, maize farmers trained on improved production can be connected to input financing, aggregation platforms, and structured off-take agreements with processors. Similarly, youth engaged in soybean processing can receive business support, equipment financing, and market linkages.
From Access to Ownership Providing access alone is insufficient. Young people must be empowered to own and lead agribusinesses and influence value chains. In cassava, this could mean managing seed enterprises, operating aggregation centres, and engaging directly with processors through supply agreements. In yam production, youth can lead seed multiplication, manage distribution networks, and participate in platforms that set standards and pricing. Opportunities for representation in cooperatives, value chain platforms, and policy dialogues further amplify youth impact.
From Fragmentation to Ecosystems Sustainable impact requires coordination across policy, finance, markets, and innovation. In dairy, youth-led milk aggregation thrives when government policies align with private investment in collection centres and cold chain infrastructure. For potatoes, linking seed system support with storage and processing investments opens reliable market pathways. Integrated systems allow youth-led businesses not just to survive, but to scale.
A Call for Intentional Action
Africa’s youth are ready to innovate, build, and lead in agriculture, but potential alone is not enough. Without deliberate systems, pathways, and support, promising ideas stall before reaching scale. Governments, development partners, and private sector actors must coordinate to:
Move beyond short-term programs to structured pathways linking skills, finance, and markets
Ensure youth have a voice in decision-making, investment planning, and policy design
Connect innovation to networks, mentorship, and resources that allow ideas to thrive
By positioning young people at the centre of agricultural ecosystems, Africa can foster a more dynamic, inclusive, and sustainable food future. The question is no longer whether youth should be engaged, but how rapidly systems can be designed to enable them to lead and drive transformation.
By Stephen Adeyemo
Mr. Adeyemo is an Analyst at Sahel Consulting Agriculture and Nutrition Limited, where he conducts market and industry research, stakeholder engagement, and provides technical support for programme implementation
