Lagos Unveils ₦500 Billion ‘Produce for Lagos’ Initiative to Bolster Food Security, Drive Inter-State Agro Collaboration

 

By Kayode Olopade 

Towards transforming its food systems and boost agricultural sustainability, the Lagos State Government has announced the official launch of a ₦500 billion “Produce for Lagos” Offtaker Programme. The initiative, spearheaded by the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Systems, is designed to enhance food availability, affordability, and security across the state.

Commissioner for Agriculture, Ms. Abisola Olusanya, revealed details of the programme during a press briefing in Lagos, describing it as a strategic step toward bridging the gap between food producers and consumers in one of Africa’s most densely populated urban centers.

Despite being a major economic hub in Sub-Saharan Africa, Olusanya noted that Lagos suffers from a limited landmass for large-scale agricultural production, making partnerships with other Nigerian states and the private sector a necessity.

“Lagos consumes more food than it can produce,” she said. “The ‘Produce for Lagos’ initiative is our strategic response — a four-pillar model that integrates logistics, aggregation, financing, and offtake agreements to ensure food gets from farm to table more efficiently.”

The initiative, which will be officially launched on Wednesday, July 23, aims to reposition Lagos as a central marketplace for organized, large-scale food distribution. Over ₦3 billion worth of agricultural produce has already been transacted through various aggregation hubs in the state, the Commissioner disclosed — a testament to the untapped potential within Lagos’s food value chain.

The briefing, which was also attended by the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Gbenga Omotoso, highlighted the broader vision of the state to build resilient and sustainable food systems through interstate collaboration and private sector engagement.

Olusanya further stated that in addition to the offtaker programme, the state has rolled out complementary schemes such as the ₦750 million Traders’ Money initiative targeted at market women and small-scale food vendors.

“This launch represents another milestone in our journey toward food sovereignty, economic inclusion, and agricultural innovation,” she said.

The “Produce for Lagos” programme is part of a wider food security agenda by the Babajide Sanwo-Olu-led administration, positioning Lagos as a national model for public-private partnership in agriculture and supply chain management.