Africa’s Moment to Thrive: Minister Maiha Calls for Innovation and Smart Financing to Transform Agriculture and Livestock

Africa’s agricultural future lies in innovation, and the Honourable Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Mukhtar Maiha, is calling on nations across the continent to seize it. Speaking at the Africa Agriculture Dialogue (AAD) in Abuja, themed “Unlocking Finance for Agricultural Transformation in Africa,” the minister urged African countries to embrace modern financing models and technology-driven solutions to unlock the full potential of agriculture and livestock, describing the sector as “Africa’s next frontier of prosperity.”

Maiha said the establishment of Nigeria’s Ministry of Livestock Development under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu reflects a bold and strategic commitment to reviving a sector that has long been neglected despite its immense promise. He emphasized that agriculture—especially livestock—holds the power to reduce poverty, strengthen food security, and propel Africa into a new era of self-sufficiency.

“This is Africa’s time,” he declared passionately. “We will not only feed ourselves but feed the world. Africa must feed itself. We have the youth, the resources, and the market—what remains is coordinated effort and adequate financing.”

Drawing comparisons to global agricultural leaders, Maiha cited Denmark as an example of what efficiency and innovation can achieve. “A country of just six million people feeds nearly 50 million,” he noted. “There’s no reason Nigeria can’t do the same.”

He explained that Nigeria is already working closely with the African Development Bank (AfDB) and other partners to eliminate financial bottlenecks within the agricultural value chain. According to him, the AfDB’s investment and technical support are critical to unlocking the full potential of agriculture and livestock across Africa.

“Nobody is too small in this journey—from the honeybee to the rabbit, from the goat to the camel—every player contributes to building Africa’s food system,” he said.

Supporting the call for innovation, Tajudeen Yahaya, Chief Executive Officer of Extension Africa, highlighted the urgent need to bridge the gap between finance, technology, and farmers at the grassroots. He described weak agricultural extension delivery as one of Africa’s biggest challenges, revealing that one extension agent currently serves as many as 10,000 farmers—a ratio he called “unsustainable.”

Through initiatives like the Africa Extension Academy and PharmaX, Yahaya said Extension Africa aims to empower 75,000 extension agents by 2030, reaching more than 50 million farmers across Nigeria and Kenya. “We’re young people with bold ideas,” he said. “But we can’t do it alone. We need support and partnerships to build a smarter, more connected agricultural landscape across Africa.”

Maiha’s message captured the spirit of the event—Africa’s agricultural transformation depends not only on ideas but on decisive action, innovative financing, and the power of technology to connect and empower those who feed the continent.