The Government of Nigeria hosted a high-level National and Subregional investment forum from 16 to 18 September 2025 in Abuja, focusing on unlocking investment opportunities in irrigation and agricultural value chains across West Africa and the Sahel. Convened under the Hand-in-Hand (HiH) Initiative and organized by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in partnership with Nigeria and regional stakeholders, the forum aimed to highlight priority investment areas while mobilizing resources and fostering strategic partnerships.
The forum’s theme, Boosting Agricultural Investment in West Africa and the Sahel, underscored the critical role of agriculture in ensuring food security, economic growth, and climate resilience. Nigeria’s Vice President, Senator Kashim Shettima, emphasized the country’s fertile land and energetic youth as assets for transforming agriculture, while Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari, highlighted the event as foundational to building a resilient, transformative agri-food system for the region.
The three-day event included a national session on Nigeria’s irrigation potential and two days of regional dialogue aimed at mobilizing investments for sustainable agrifood systems. The forum built on regional commitments such as the Dakar+10 Declaration on Irrigation in the Sahel and the Kampala Declaration of January 2025, which promote irrigation as a key driver of food sovereignty, resilience, and sustainable growth across West Africa and the Sahel.
During the forum, the 10 Sahel HiH countries presented proposals totaling USD 8 billion to irrigate 1.2 million hectares, with USD 2 billion already committed. Three additional West African countries proposed USD 1.975 billion to irrigate 70,710 hectares, with USD 753 million already secured, leaving a financing gap of USD 1.21 billion. FAO representatives highlighted the importance of leveraging geospatial tools, data platforms, and integrated approaches to attract investment, build resilience, and foster inclusive growth.
FAO officials reinforced the initiative’s role as a platform for evidence-based investment to strengthen agrifood systems and improve livelihoods across the region. The forum brought together 140 participants, including government officials from agriculture, water, finance, investment, and trade ministries; representatives of regional organizations such as CILSS, IWMI, and the Global Water Partnership West Africa; development partners and financial institutions like the World Bank, Islamic Development Bank, and IFAD; as well as private sector actors, agribusinesses, irrigation technology companies, universities, and NGOs.
Private sector stakeholders noted that commitments made at the forum were concrete steps toward a future where agriculture serves as the primary engine of prosperity, peace, and stability in the Sahel and broader West Africa region. The event underscored the collective determination of governments, development partners, and investors to transform agricultural systems and unlock the region’s full potential.
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