James Emejo in Abuja
The Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI) Tuesday unveiled plans to leverage agricultural mechanisation, technology and private capital to accelerate the country’s transition from subsistence farming to a globally competitive, export-oriented agricultural economy.
ACCI President, Chief Emeka Obegolu, said this would be a major focus of the maiden Agricultural Mechanisation for Export-Quality Products in Africa (AGROMEQA EXPO 2026) scheduled to commence from October 15 to 16, 2026 in Abuja.
Speaking at a media briefing, he explained that the exhibition was conceived to address some of the structural constraints limiting the productivity and competitiveness of agricultural sector.
According to him, agriculture could not deliver its full economic potential without a fundamental shift towards mechanisation, technology, investment, value addition and stronger linkages with domestic and international markets.
The expo is organised by the Agricultural Trade Group and JMT Plus Farms and Agro-Allied in collaboration with ACCI.
Obegolu said the event, which would be held under the theme, “Technology and Investment for Agro-Export,” was designed to create a practical platform where farmers, investors, technology providers, processors, exporters, financial institutions and policymakers could forge partnerships capable of transforming the sector.
He said the decision to move the Expo from its earlier proposed date followed consultations with stakeholders across the agricultural value chain, stressing that the additional preparation time would allow for broader participation.
“The adjustment is aimed at ensuring wider participation and creating greater opportunities for all stakeholders to derive maximum value from this important continental platform,” he said.
The ACCI president said the Expo would go beyond the conventional exhibition format by serving as an investment marketplace linking agricultural producers and businesses with capital providers interested in mechanisation, processing, storage, logistics, packaging and export operations.
He explained that the event would feature exhibitions of modern agricultural machinery, precision farming technologies, irrigation systems, agro-processing equipment, packaging innovations and climate-smart technologies.
It would also include high-level plenary sessions, technical discussions, workshops, business-to-business meetings and investment forums aimed at facilitating technology transfer, capital mobilisation and strategic partnerships.
Of particular significance, Obegolu said, would be a live demonstration arena where participants would have the opportunity to see modern agricultural machinery and technologies deployed in practical farming operations.
He added that a dedicated agro-processing and packaging platform would expose investors and businesses to opportunities for increasing local value addition and improving the quality and competitiveness of Nigerian agricultural products in international markets.
The Expo is also expected to bring together policymakers, agribusiness investors, machinery manufacturers, technology companies, research institutions, farmers’ associations, development partners, financial institutions, agro-processors, exporters and logistics operators.
President of the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA), Jani Ibrahim is expected to deliver the keynote address on “Agricultural Export and the Role of Private Capital in Its Value Chain.”
The Vice President, Senator Kashim Shettima is expected to officially declare the Expo open.
Obegolu stressed that the private sector had a critical role to play in transforming agriculture into a major engine of economic growth, arguing that government intervention alone would not be sufficient to unlock the sector’s enormous potential.
He said the initiative was anchored on the conviction that deeper mechanisation and greater private investment could simultaneously address food security, employment, rural development, industrialisation and export growth.
“Agriculture remains central to Nigeria’s economic transformation. However, for the sector to fully realise its enormous potential, we must move beyond traditional methods and embrace mechanisation, innovation, technology, investment, research, and stronger market linkages,” he said.
He added that increased mechanisation would not only raise agricultural productivity but also strengthen rural economies, create decent employment and provide the raw materials required for industrial development.
The ACCI president said Nigeria’s aspiration to become a significant player in the African and global agro-export market would remain difficult to achieve without investment in modern production systems and the infrastructure required to move agricultural products from farms to processing facilities and international markets.
He noted that the Expo would therefore seek to bridge the gap between agricultural production and the wider ecosystem required to make Nigerian products export-ready.
According to him, the initiative would also provide opportunities for technology companies and investors to identify commercially viable projects while enabling farmers and agribusinesses to access modern production solutions.
Another major feature of the event, he disclosed, would be a Schools’ Agro Exhibition and Competition designed to expose young Nigerians to agriculture, innovation and entrepreneurship.
Obegolu said youth participation was essential to ensuring that agricultural transformation was sustained beyond the current generation of farmers.
He urged ministries, departments and agencies, financial institutions, development partners, research institutions, farmers’ organisations and private sector operators to participate actively in the Expo.
The ACCI president expressed confidence that AGROMEQA EXPO 2026 would catalyse investment inflows, promote technology transfer and strengthen business networks across Nigeria’s agricultural value chain.
He said the Chamber’s objective was ultimately to establish the Expo as a flagship platform for agricultural innovation, investment facilitation, capacity development and agro-export promotion in Africa.
“We are confident that AGROMEQA EXPO 2026 will catalyse investment inflows, create opportunities for technology transfer, strengthen business networks, and stimulate strategic collaborations capable of delivering sustainable economic value and contributing to the long-term transformation of the agricultural sector,” Obegolu said.