Lagos State’s Agriculture Commissioner, Ms. Abisola Olusanya, revealed that agriculture contributes a significant N7 trillion annually to the state’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
This highlights the importance of the sector in Lagos’s food sustainability and security policy.
Olusanya, who disclosed this during a press briefing to mark Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s first year in his second term, emphasized the need for an improved food market system, which will boost production and supply while combating unhealthy practices within the agricultural food chain.
The Commissioner also noted that the state’s meat industry is growing, adding “Abbators slaughter at least 10,000 cattle daily. To improve meat transportation, a collaborative effort with private participants, “Eko Meat Van”, is launching 50 new vans.”
She added that Lagos is working with other states to secure 200,000 tonnes of paddy rice needed for the Imota Rice Mill in Ikorodu.
According to her: “Agriculture contributes 25% to Nigeria’s GDP, with Lagos generating over N40 trillion. Lagos’s definition of agriculture encompasses a wider range of activities, including food production and supply. This broader definition has resulted in agriculture contributing N7 trillion to the state’s economy in recent years.”
“This signifies our potential and the opportunity that lies in the sector. We will continue to strive for progress. We will keep striving to provide the best for our people,” Olusanya said, advocating for the establishment of food market structures. “For this reason, Lagos will keep advocating for food market organization as a crucial answer to addressing food scarcity and unhealthy practices in our country’s food value chain.”