Investment in food, packaging hits 346m Euros

Nigeria is the largest investor in food and packaging technology in Africa with an investment of 346 million Euros, Consulate-General of Italy in Lagos, Mr Ugo Boni, said yesterday.

He spoke at the ongoing West African Cold Chain Summit and Exhibition (WACCSE 2023) in Lagos.

He said: “For the first time since 2021, Nigeria became the largest investor in food and packaging technology in Africa with an investment of 346 million Euros, ahead of Egypt’s 341 million Euros and South Africa’s 293 million Euros, according to data from the Germany Machinery Association.”

The event has “Delivering Food and Nutrition Security through Cold Chain in Africa” as theme.

The trade volume between Nigeria and Italy was two billion Euros.

He said the Italian government was ready to invest in the Nigerian economy.

According to him, investing in the food and allied agricultural sector would be part of Italy’s effort to strengthen trade relations with Nigeria.

He said the priorities of Italian investors were agro industrial and food processing machinery.

The envoy indicated that the country was ready to increase its trade volume in Nigeria.

In her contribution, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management, and Social Development, Sadiya Umar Farouq, said over 10 million children across 57,517 schools were benefitting from the National Home-Grown School Feeding Programme (NHGSFP).


Represented by the Nutrition Officer, National Home-Grown School Feeding Programme, Mrs Simpa Suzan, the Minister said the scope of the NHGSFP is providing one free nutritious hot meal daily, made from locally sourced agricultural produce to Primary 1-3 in public primary schools across the of Nigeria.

Through this programme, 126, 927 Women are gainfully engaged as cooks/vendors, and thousands of smallholder farmers are empowered too.

Through various agencies and programs, she said the Ministry was working hard to contribute to achieving the set 2025 target of reducing the proportion of people who suffer malnutrition by 50 per cent through scaling up nutrition-specific and nutrition-sensitive interventions.

Lagos State Commissioner for Agriculture, Ms. Ruth Olusanya said the government was driving its vision to make the state a key logistics hub to assist the flow of food trade and unlock market access.

To this end, she called on the private sector to partner with the government in the logistics sector, as the economy has grown fast in the food business .

The Regional Director, Technoserve, Larry Umunna said food fortification was being promoted as a strategy to dramatically improve a population’s malnutrition situation. He explained that food processing companies have the right tools and knowledge to track and improve fortification, marking important progress in fighting malnutrition in Nigeria and beyond.