As Nigeria pushes to earn more from outside the oil sector, one of its biggest banks is putting agriculture and exports at the centre of the conversation. FirstBank will host the fifth edition of its Agric and Export Expo on September 16 and 17, 2026, under the theme "From Farm to Global Markets: Building Nigeria's Export Value Chain," according to The Gallant News.
Who Is in the Room
The two-day event is designed to bring together policymakers, regulators, agribusiness leaders, exporters, investors and development partners to discuss practical ways to strengthen the agricultural value chain and widen access to global markets, the same report noted. The Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari, is billed to deliver the keynote address on boosting productivity and strengthening food systems, while the Governor of Niger State, Mohammed Umar Bago, is set to give a goodwill message, according to National Wire.
A Line-Up of Agribusiness Heavyweights
The speaker list reads like a roll call of Nigeria's food industry, featuring Olasunkanmi Owoyemi of Sunbeth Global Concepts, Taiwo Ayoade of Agro Traders and Plantation Industries, Sunil Kumar Chauhan of Dangote Fertiliser, Ayodele Abioye of BUA Foods, Agboola Zubayr Belgore of Amo Byng and Amit Bose of Valency Agro, according to The Gallant News. The mix of cocoa exporters, fertiliser makers, food manufacturers and commodity traders reflects how much of the export push now runs through processing and value addition rather than raw shipments.
Why Exports Touch the Dinner Table
Farm exports may sound distant from a household food budget, but the two are closely linked. Stronger non-oil export earnings support the naira, which in turn shapes the cost of imported food and inputs, while the drive to meet export standards tends to lift the quality and efficiency of the whole value chain. Events that connect farmers and processors to finance and buyers can, over time, deepen the domestic supply base that sets prices at home.
FoodPrices Nigeria tracks verified retail prices across Lagos markets and follows the investment and export drives that shape the wider food economy behind them.