From Farm to Fortune: NSPRI Sparks Agricultural Revolution to End Postharvest Losses in Nigeria

In a bold and united front to transform Nigeria’s agricultural future, the Nigerian Stored Products Research Institute (NSPRI) has emerged as a driving force in tackling one of the country’s most pressing but often overlooked challenges of postharvest losses. At the 2nd Postharvest Connect Conference and Exhibition, held jointly with the National Cassava Conference on April 23–24, 2025, in Abuja, industry leaders, researchers, and innovators came together to chart a new path for food security, economic empowerment, and sustainable farming. The urgency of the situation was underscored by Dr. Godwin Atser, Country Director of Sasakawa Africa Association (SAA), revealed that Nigeria loses approximately N3.5 trillion annually to postharvest inefficiencies. Atser lamented that even in times of scarcity, food is still being wasted in restaurants while people go hungry and point to storage deficiencies, poor transportation, and a lack of cold-chain infrastructure as the main culprits. He emphasized that cutting down these losses is not just about feeding the nation, but also about reclaiming export markets and creating sustainable value chains. Dr. Atser stressed that technologies like Hermetic Steel Drums and PICS bags, which reduce the use of harmful chemicals in grain storage, are already improving food preservation at the grassroots. These innovations are key to achieving the “ZERO reject” goal for Nigerian agricultural exports as a goal dependent on clean, standardized, and traceable postharvest practices. He detailed SAA’s procurement of over 200 hermetic storage drums from NSPRI, distributed under the Kano State Agricultural Development Programme. Such collaborations, Atser said, represent practical steps toward solving Nigeria’s food security crisis.

NSPRI’s Executive Director, Professor Lateef Oladimeji Sanni, set the tone at the conference by declaring that reducing postharvest losses must become a national priority. “We must work with synergy to understand and deploy postharvest technologies at all user levels,” he urged. The 2025 conference theme: Postharvest Technologies and Scale-Up of Agricultural Competitiveness reflects this ambition to bring both innovation and inclusivity to the fore. This year’s event spotlighted digital tools and innovations tailored to Nigeria’s unique postharvest challenges. NSPRI expanded its Postharvest Connect platform to encompass not just cassava but other key crops like ginger, onions, and tomatoes. Professor Sanni also celebrated new international collaborations with the likes of IITA, FOOD4SAFETY, and the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN), noting their vital role in propelling local research into global relevance.”.

In his goodwill message, Mr. Mustapha Othman Bakano, the president of the Nigerian Cassava Growers Association (NCGA), echoed the urgent need for a robust, traceable food system. He announced the development of an Integrated Data Management System capable of tracking cassava from farm to processing, and eliminated value chain inefficiencies. “We can now tell who grows what, where, and when,” he said, presenting the tool as a step toward greater transparency and accountability. Bakano also appealed for improved access to credit and financial monitoring, advocating the enforcement of the Central Bank of Nigeria’s Global Standing Instruction (GSI) for better loan recovery. “Whether loans are given in cash or inputs, traceability is crucial,” he said. He added that a key NCGA initiative which targets university students and young entrepreneurs, providing them hands-on agricultural training is imperative. According to Bakano, he said this strategy not only supports youth employment but also nurtures the next generation of agropreneurs ready to modernize Nigeria’s food systems.

Speaking of institutional growth, Professor Garba Hamidu Sharubutu, the immediate past Executive Secretary of the Agricultural Research Council of Nigeria (ARCN), praised NSPRI for its leadership transition and sustained vision. He called for greater private sector involvement in the commercialization of agricultural innovations, pointing to the success of local GMO crops and spin-off companies birthed by Nigerian Research Institutes. Sarubutu emphasized aligning research with national policies targeting hunger and poverty. He said that continuity is something we must imbibe, and suggested that the agricultural research sector could serve as a model for political project continuity in Nigeria.

Throughout the 2-day event, one theme remained consistent: progress requires partnership. From government agencies and research institutes to private investors and farmers, every stakeholder has a role to play. The conference featured technical sessions on cassava industrialization, modular processing hubs, and agricultural security as tools for a new era of smart, resilient farming. Partners like IITA, BASICS-II, University of Greenwich, HarvestPlus, and Sahel Consulting lent their expertise, reinforcing the collaborative spirit essential for progress. As Professor Sanni succinctly put it, “The seeds we plant today, through collaboration and innovation, will blossom into prosperity for all. With concrete initiatives in place and renewed momentum from this year’s conference, NSPRI and its partners are not just envisioning a better agricultural future, they’re building it”.