By Faith Anisiobi, The Sight News
The Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI) has announced the maiden edition of the Agricultural Mechanization for Export Quality Products in Africa (Agromeqa Expo 2026), aimed at accelerating mechanization, investment, value addition and agro-export in Nigeria.
The President of ACCI, Chief Emeka Obegolu, SAN, PhD, represented by the First Deputy President of the chamber, Prof. Adesoji Adesugba, disclosed this on Tuesday, at a press briefing in Abuja.
Adesugba said the expo would provide a platform for stakeholders across the agricultural value chain to promote innovation, technology transfer, mechanization and investment.
The expo, jointly organized by the Agricultural Trade Group and JMT Plus Farms and Agro-Allied in collaboration with ACCI, is scheduled to hold from October 15 to 16, 2026, at the Prince Adetokunbo Kayode, SAN, Trade and Convention Centre, ACCI Complex, Kilometer 8, Umaru Musa Yar’Adua Expressway, Airport Road, Abuja.
He explained that the expo was initially scheduled for the middle of the year but was postponed following consultations with stakeholders and partners to allow for adequate preparation and wider participation.
The event will be held under the theme, “Technology and Investment for Agro-Export,” which Adesugba said reflects the need to transform Nigerian agriculture from largely subsistence production into a modern, technology-driven, investment-led and export-oriented sector.
He said Agromeqa Expo 2026 would promote agricultural mechanization, export-quality production, value addition, technology transfer and sustainable investment across the agribusiness value chain.
According to him, the initiative would also support Nigeria’s priorities of food security, economic diversification, job creation, industrial development and export-led growth.
A major highlight of the expo will be its official declaration by Vice President Kashim Shettima, GCON, while the President of the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA), Engr. Jani Ibrahim, OON, mni, is expected to deliver the keynote address titled, “Agricultural Export and the Role of Private Capital in this Value Chain.”
The expo is expected to bring together policymakers, government representatives, agribusiness investors, industry leaders, agricultural machinery manufacturers, technology providers, research institutions, academics, farmers’ associations, development partners, financial institutions, agro-processors, exporters, logistics operators and international organizations.
Activities will include exhibitions of mechanized equipment, precision farming tools, irrigation systems, agro-processing innovations, packaging solutions and climate-smart agricultural technologies.
The two-day event will also feature plenary sessions, technical discussions, interactive workshops, business-to-business engagements, investment forums and live demonstrations of modern farming technologies and equipment.
A dedicated agro-processing and packaging platform will showcase opportunities for local value addition, while a schools agro-innovation competition will promote creativity, innovation and youth participation in agriculture.
Adesugba also called for the development of a strategic national blueprint to strengthen Nigeria’s agricultural sector and ensure food security, describing agriculture as a major driver of economic growth, poverty reduction and job creation.
He noted that agriculture currently contributes about 23.16 per cent of Nigeria’s GDP, adding that the sector grew by 3.45 per cent year-on-year in the first quarter of 2026, compared with 0.07 per cent in the corresponding period of 2025.
The sector, he said, generated about N11.87 trillion in real economic output in Q1 2026, compared with N11.51 trillion in Q1 2025, while crop production accounted for approximately N8.9 trillion.
Despite the improvement, Adesugba said the growth remained inadequate, stressing that the sector could perform significantly better with appropriate policies, increased investment and improved operating conditions.
He described agriculture as a profitable investment opportunity, noting that the sector had created many successful entrepreneurs in Nigeria.
On palm oil, he said Nigeria is currently the world’s fifth-largest producer but meets less than half of its domestic demand, creating significant opportunities for increased production and investment.
Adesugba stressed the need to boost domestic food production and reduce dependence on food imports, particularly in view of Nigeria’s rapidly growing population.
He also identified insecurity as a major challenge to agricultural development, noting that it affects farming and economic activities generally and requires sustained collective efforts to address.
The ACCI First Deputy President further described agriculture as a matter of national security and a critical foundation for Nigeria’s industrialization.
He said countries that had successfully industrialized generally developed strong agricultural sectors, which provided raw materials, employment, purchasing power and a foundation for industrial growth.
Adesugba urged the Federal Government, private sector, agricultural institutions and farmers to work together to unlock the sector’s potential.
He said agriculture offers Nigeria one of its strongest opportunities to absorb unemployed youths, expand economic activity and accelerate national development.
