- Kogi produces food. Lagos consumes food.
Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo has pledged the support of Kogi state government for the ‘Produce for Lagos’ programme.
In a speech delivered at the launch of Produce for Lagos programme on Wednesday, Governor Ododo commended Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos state for the inviting Kogi to be part of the programme.
He said the partnership between Kogi and Lagos states will guarantee market assurance.
He described the programme as a milestone in inter-state collaboration, food security, and economic integration.
Governor Ododo emphasized the historical ties between Kogi and Lagos and affirmed that the partnership marks a new era in mutual investment and food system integration.
“Let me begin by emphasizing a simple but timeless truth that Lagos and Kogi share a long-standing bond rooted in commerce, migration, mutual respect, and shared vision. A significant number of Kogi citizens have made Lagos their home, investing their skills, resources, and energy into the development of this great State. Kogi has always been part of the greatness of Lagos, and today, we are elevating that legacy, by building a partnership that works, not just for two states, but for the entire nation.
“This initiative is not only timely but transformational. It signals a bold and strategic step to align production with demand and strengthen food systems across regional boundaries.
“We see this partnership as a mutual investment in people, productivity, and prosperity. Kogi produces food. Lagos consumes food. When we work together, what we achieve is food security, market stability, and inclusive growth,” Gov. Ododo said.
He stated his administration has made agriculture a top priority by not just cultivating crops but strengthening Kogi’s agricultural value chain.
“We have prepared thousands of hectares of land across the state, provided improved seedlings and livestock breeds, deployed mechanized farming equipment, and extended grants to over 10,000 farmers to scale production.
“We are proud that Kogi leads Nigeria in cassava production, and we are among the top producers of yam, maize, and other cereals. We are making strategic investments to boost ginger farming, one of the most commercially viable crops globally today.
“To support all of this, we have revitalized our agricultural extension services, ensuring that technical advice, inputs, and monitoring reach the farmers where they are. We know that more than 80% of our agricultural produce comes from the rural areas. Therefore, we are also investing in rural life, by remodeling healthcare facilities, building modern schools, electrifying underserved communities, and improving farm-to-market roads.
“What this partnership with Lagos achieves is market assurance. Our farmers can now produce with confidence, knowing that there is a structured and reliable offtake system in place. It is not just about farming anymore, it is about structured prosperity for the entire agricultural ecosystem,” he stated.
Governor Ododo applauded President Bola Tinubu’s Greener Hope Agricultural Productivity Programme, noting that with $1 billion already committed, agriculture is the new oil.
“Mr. President has shown uncommon courage and clarity of purpose in redirecting our national energy toward food production and value chain development.
“Your Excellency, Mr. President, Nigeria needed a bold and patriotic leader who would not just echo hope, but implement it. In you, we have that leader. You are building a Nigeria that eats what it produces and produces what it eats.
“Kogi is proud to align fully with the Renewed Hope Agenda. Today’s event is not just symbolic; it is substantive. It marks a new vista of collaboration that puts people first and strengthens the pillars of national unity through shared prosperity.”
Governor Ododo assured the government and people of Lagos state that this partnership will not end on paper, adding that Kogi is committed to making it work for the sake of the farmers who plant, the traders who move, and the families who eat.
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, while launching the Produce for Lagos Programme and the ₦500 billion Offtake Guarantee Fund, revealed that the state food economy, which was ₦6.5 trillion annually, is now ₦16.14 trillion.
He asserted that Lagos is Nigeria’s largest food market, consuming over 50 per cent of the food traded in the Southwest.
According to the governor, research also showed that Lagos loses nearly 50 per cent of its food between harvest and the market, primarily due to poor storage and inefficient transportation.
“Then came 2020, and with it, the global COVID-19 pandemic, which exposed Lagos as highly dependent on food imports, and therefore vulnerable to global supply shocks. It became clear that we must transform our food system to ensure that Lagos can sustainably feed its people, both now and in the future.
“This led to us launching, in 2021, the Lagos State Agricultural and Food Systems Roadmap, our robust plan for addressing structural weaknesses within the food system, particularly post-harvest losses, poor logistics, and supply chain gaps.
“To implement this roadmap, we significantly increased the agriculture budget from ₦4.2 billion in 2018 to nearly ₦80 billion today, the highest in the state’s history. For us, this was a bold affirmation that food is economic infrastructure, deserving of the same attention as transport or energy.
“To reinforce our commitment to reform, in 2024, we renamed the Ministry of Agriculture to the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Systems; an intentional step to reflect the complexity and integration we now demand of our food system strategy.
“This renewed commitment, which is fully aligned with the National Policy on Agriculture, and the food security vision of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, has helped us deliver the following impactful programmes and more: Ounje Eko Discount Markets; N500 million Ounje Eko Farmers Subsidy Programme; The Central Food Security Systems & Logistics Hub (Epe)—the largest food hub under construction in West Africa, The Middle Level Agroproduce Hub; and the Lagos Agripreneurship Program (LAP).”
Sanwo-Olu argued that, after implementing several programs and projects in the food and agriculture sector, the Produce for Lagos Programme is the next logical step in its roadmap.
He was optimistic that the programme would provide guaranteed off-take contracts, access to financing, and logistics support, connecting Lagosians directly with Lagos’s dynamic food economy.
Sanwo-Olu added that it will boost agricultural production, reduce reliance on informal and uncoordinated supply channels, create jobs for the youth, and increase economic returns for all ecosystem stakeholders.
The event drew attendance from several state leaders, including the Governors of Ogun, Niger, and Taraba States, as well as representatives from the Governors of Jigawa and Kwara States. All participating states pledged to align with the vision of establishing a sustainable national food supply chain through a dependable partnership with Lagos, Nigeria’s largest consumer market.
