Niger Delta Food Security Summit Set For April; Organizers Target Youth Financing And Value Chain Gaps To Combat Regional Hunger

The Niger Delta Food Security Summit in Akwa Ibom targets youth financing and value chain gaps. Learn how the FAO and NEPZA are supporting this April event.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 21, 2026, 9:02 AM EDT

Source: The information in this article was sourced from Independent

Addressing the Financing Bottleneck

As Nigeria grapples with escalating food prices and supply chain disruptions, a new regional intervention is set to address the root causes of agricultural stagnation in the Niger Delta. The Organizing Committee of the Niger Delta Food Security Summit & Expo, led by Engr. Emmanuel Robert, recently held strategic talks with the Akwa Ibom State Ministry of Agriculture to highlight the "systemic challenges" holding back production. Chief among these is a chronic lack of access to credit for small-scale farmers and a widening gap in the agricultural value chain that prevents local produce from reaching global markets.

Youth Participation as a Security Strategy

A central pillar of the upcoming summit is the rebranding of agriculture as a "profitable venture" for the younger generation. Robert emphasized that the graying population of Nigerian farmers represents a long-term risk to national food security. By focusing on youth empowerment, the summit seeks to provide young entrepreneurs with the technological tools and investment pathways necessary to modernize the sector. This initiative aligns with broader regional efforts to pivot away from oil dependency and toward a sustainable "green economy."

High-Level Collaboration and Global Expertise

The maiden edition of the summit, scheduled to take place from April 22 to 24, 2026, at Ceedapeg Hotels in Akwa Ibom, boasts significant institutional backing. The event is being organized in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, the Nigeria Export Processing Zones Authority (NEPZA), and the Raw Materials Research and Development Council. Notably, the keynote address will be delivered by Dr. Hussein Gadain, the FAO Country Representative to Nigeria and ECOWAS, signaling the international community’s interest in the Niger Delta’s agricultural potential.