The recently held 8th edition of SeedConnect Africa Conference and Exhibition marked 50 years of Nigeria’s organised seed system, five decades of policy evolution, scientific breakthroughs, private-sector growth, and persistent struggle to solve one fundamental problem, how to ensure farmers plant the right seed and nations reap the right harvest.

Under the theme “Seeds for Africa’s Future: Innovation, Resilience and Food Security,” the conference brought together political leaders, policymakers, seed companies, researchers, development partners, and farmers from across the continent.

At its heart were messages from speakers from the National Agricultural Seeds Council (NASC), the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, and the Presidency: Africa’s food future begins with seeds, and Nigeria intends to lead that future.

In his welcome address, the Director-General of NASC, Fatuhu Muhammed, traced the journey of Nigeria’s seed sector from the era of the National Seed Service to its present status as a reference point for other African countries.

Over 50 years, Nigeria’s seed system has evolved from a largely public-sector-driven framework into a more liberalised, innovation-oriented ecosystem where private seed companies, regulators, researchers, and farmers increasingly work in tandem.

SeedConnect Africa, now in its eighth edition, has become a flagship platform for this collaboration. According to Muhammed, it has consistently driven innovation, strengthened partnerships, and helped align Nigeria’s seed industry with global best practices.

That alignment is now visible in Nigeria’s membership of major international seed bodies such as ISTA, UPOV, OECD Seed Schemes, ISF, and AfricaSeeds, an integration that has boosted regional competitiveness and export capacity.

The results are tangible.

In 2023 alone, Nigeria exported over 4,000 metric tonnes of certified seeds to neighbouring countries, earning more than eight million dollars and reinforcing the country’s role as a regional seed hub.

The urgency of the seed conversation was underscored by sobering demographic realities. Africa’s population is projected to hit 2.5 billion by 2050, yet agricultural productivity continues to lag behind global averages. Despite possessing nearly 60 percent of the world’s uncultivated arable land, the continent still battles stagnant yields, climate shocks, and rising food insecurity.

For Nigeria, the stakes are even higher. Agriculture contributes about 25 percent of GDP and supports over 70 percent of rural households, but productivity remains below potential. Speakers at the conference agreed that improved, climate-resilient seeds are the single most cost-effective technology for closing this yield gap.

Over the past few years, NASC, working with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, has supported the release of more than 60 high-yielding and climate-resilient crop varieties. These include staples such as maize, rice, wheat, and legumes, crops central to Nigeria’s food basket and rural incomes.

One of the long-standing challenges confronting farmers has been access to quality seeds. Counterfeit and adulterated seeds not only depress yields but also erode farmers’ trust in the formal seed system. NASC’s response has been a mix of regulatory reform and digital innovation.

The introduction of the Digital Seed Certification System and SEEDCODEX traceability platform has significantly improved quality assurance and transparency. Farmers and regulators can now verify certified seeds, while inspectors can track seed movement across the value chain.

Complementing this are new regulatory frameworks, including the National Crop Varieties Registration and Release Regulations, Third-Party Seed Certification Regulations, and the liberalisation of early-generation seed production.

“These reforms are not just about regulation. They are about creating an efficient, competitive, and private-sector-driven seed industry that delivers quality seeds to farmers on time,” Muhammed noted.

Perhaps the most consequential announcement at the conference was the operationalisation of the Presidential Catalytic Seed Fund. Established under Section 45 of the NASC Act, the fund represents a long-awaited financial backbone for Nigeria’s seed sector.

President Bola Tinubu’s approval of a N50 billion revolving fund, offered at a concessional six percent repayment rate and domiciled with the Bank of Industry, signals a decisive shift toward private-sector-led growth. Over four years, the fund is expected to support crop breeding, early-generation seed supply, commercial seed production, regulation, and quality assurance.

For agribusiness investors and seed entrepreneurs, the fund addresses a chronic bottleneck: access to affordable, long-term finance. For farmers, it promises timely access to high-quality seeds and reduced dependence on imports, an important pillar of national food sovereignty.

Opening the conference, the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari, framed seeds as the foundation of Nigeria’s broader food sovereignty agenda. Agriculture, he said, is not just an economic sector but “the measure of our nation’s resilience and the promise of our future.”

Kyari reiterated President Tinubu’s directive: “Plant the right seed, feed an entire nation.” Transitioning farmers from saved seeds to certified seeds, he argued, is non-negotiable if the country is to achieve food sufficiency, stabilise prices, and diversify its economy.

This vision is embedded in national frameworks such as Vision 2050, the National Development Plan, and the National Agricultural Technology and Innovation Policy. It is also reflected in practical interventions like the National Agricultural Growth Scheme–Agro Pocket (NAGS-AP), which has expanded access to seeds and inputs across multiple states.

The minister highlighted wheat as a case study in how seed innovation can reshape national production. Nigeria’s wheat programme has expanded from 15 states in the 2023/2024 dry season to wider coverage in 2024/2025.

More significantly, the successful introduction of rainfed wheat varieties in Plateau State by the Lake Chad Research Institute has opened new frontiers.

With rainfed wheat now viable in the highlands of Plateau, Taraba, and Cross River States, Nigeria is moving toward year-round wheat production, a breakthrough that could drastically cut import bills and improve food security.

Beyond seeds, the Tinubu administration has moved aggressively to unlock agricultural finance. The recapitalisation of the Bank of Agriculture with N1.5 trillion, alongside a N250 billion financing window for smallholder farmers, aims to reposition the bank as the anchor of Nigeria’s agricultural financing system.

The operationalisation of the National Agricultural Development Fund further complements this effort, providing catalytic support to agribusiness ventures and rural enterprises. Together, these financial instruments signal a renewed focus on building resilient value chains, from seed to market.

Vice President Senator Kashim Shettima, in the opening address, captured both reflection and resolve. He described the seed as “the code, the first technology that determines the success or failure of the entire agricultural value chain.”

To translate policy into action, the Vice President formally launched the Seeds for Renewed Hope Programme (S-RHP), the flagship initiative driving Nigeria’s seed transformation. Backed by the Presidential Catalytic Seed Fund, S-RHP aims to strengthen the entire seed value chain, scale climate-resilient varieties, support local seed companies, solve last-mile delivery challenges, and boost youth and women participation in seed entrepreneurship.

The programme has a clear target: increase Nigeria’s annual seed requirement for major staples by 10 percent between 2025 and 2027, narrowing supply gaps and reducing imports.

As Nigeria celebrates 50 years of organized seed development, the mood at SeedConnect Africa 2025 was one of cautious optimism. Challenges remain, climate change, financing gaps, and last-mile delivery, but the convergence of political will, regulatory reform, and private capital suggests a turning point.

For Africa, where food security remains one of the defining challenges of the century, Nigeria’s seed journey offers a compelling lesson, sustainable agriculture does not start on the farm alone, it starts with the seed.

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