Sanwo-Olu Unveils ₦500 Billion ‘Produce for Lagos’ Initiative to Transform Agriculture, Ensure Food Security
…Launches Largest Food Logistics System in Nigeria, Urges National Collaboration
Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has launched the ambitious ₦500 billion Produce for Lagos initiative—anchored by an Offtake Guarantee Fund designed to strengthen food supply chains, boost agricultural investments, and reduce post-harvest losses.
The programme was officially launched at a high-level ceremony on Tuesday at Lagos House, Alausa, Ikeja, with dignitaries from across the agricultural value chain, financial institutions, and public and private sectors in attendance.
Describing the initiative as a “watershed moment” in Lagos State’s quest for a sustainable food ecosystem, Governor Sanwo-Olu said the programme will establish a coordinated, data-driven framework to bridge the gap between producers across Nigeria and Lagos—the nation’s largest food consumption market.
> “Lagos consumes over 50% of the food traded in the South-West, yet nearly half of that is lost before it even reaches the market due to poor storage and inefficient logistics,” the Governor stated.
> “What we are doing here today is creating a new agricultural ecosystem that combines policy innovation, strategic financing, robust infrastructure, and integrated data systems to transform how food is produced, moved, and consumed.”
A key feature of the Produce for Lagos programme is the ₦500 billion Offtake Guarantee Fund—established to support farmers, aggregators, logistics operators, and bulk traders across the country.
According to the Governor, the fund will be managed by the newly created Lagos Food Systems Infrastructure Company (LAFSINCO) and will not function as a subsidy, but rather as a catalytic investment platform that attracts private capital while de-risking agriculture-based ventures.
> “This fund is an economic tool designed to stabilize food prices, incentivize production, and ensure predictable returns for agricultural actors,” Sanwo-Olu emphasized.
He also announced the deployment of 150 cold and dry trucks—the largest fleet of its kind in Nigeria—as part of a broader logistics overhaul to ensure the timely and safe delivery of agricultural produce from farm to market.
The Governor praised Origin Tech Group for its partnership in developing what will become Nigeria’s largest integrated food logistics hub, slated for commissioning in December 2025.
He called on other state governments, financial institutions, and international development partners to align with the vision of Produce for Lagos and replicate the model to create a resilient, collaborative national food network.
> “Let us rise together to feed this nation sustainably,” Sanwo-Olu urged. “This is not just about Lagos; it’s about creating a Nigeria where no one goes to bed hungry.”
Also speaking at the launch, the Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Systems, Ms. Abisola Olusanya, described the initiative as a “leap of strategy, not faith,” reiterating that Lagos is ready to serve as a reliable off-taker for producers across the federation.
> “Produce for Lagos is not just a policy but a promise,” Olusanya declared. “We are telling farmers from Kano to Ebonyi: if you grow it, Lagos will take it—with structure, dignity, and guaranteed offtake.”
She outlined previous state interventions—such as the Lagos Agripreneurship Programme, the Ounje Eko Discount Markets, and the Lagos Agric Scholars’ Programme—as foundational blocks that have now culminated in a broader, systemic push for a sovereign food system.
> “This is the justice demanded of us by the tomato farmer in Zaria, the pepper trader in Mile 12, and the millions who go hungry—not due to food scarcity, but because of systemic inefficiencies,” she said.
The Produce for Lagos initiative, she added, will empower stakeholders across the agricultural spectrum while addressing food affordability and accessibility in a megacity expected to house over 30 million people by 2035.
