News in brief:
– The federal government, in partnership with GBFoods, launched GBHub Africa with $10 million in funding to support small agribusinesses and reduce post-harvest losses.
– This initiative aims to provide interest-free loans, market linkages, and local processing infrastructure to empower Nigerian farmers.
In a major push to tackle food insecurity, post-harvest losses, and poor market access for farmers, the Federal Government launched GBHub Africa, a $10 million-backed initiative to empower agricultural businesses and create sustainable linkages across the value chain.
The Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari, who inaugurated the initiative in Abuja, described it as a transformative move to reshape agriculture and food systems across Sub-Saharan Africa, starting with Nigeria.
Addressing Nigeria’s tomato paradox
Despite Nigeria being the second-largest producer of tomatoes in Africa, it remains the world’s biggest importer of tomato paste. Senator Kyari, represented by his Technical Assistant, Ibrahim Alkali, noted that the country produces approximately 3.997 million tonnes of tomatoes annually, yet 45%—over 1.8 million tonnes—go to waste.
He blamed the losses on systemic challenges, including:
- Inadequate processing facilities
- Weak linkages between farmers and processors
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Outdated agricultural practices
“These challenges mean we import what we already have in abundance, simply because we lack the systems to utilise them effectively,” Kyari said.
Backed by GBFoods Africa and ₦25bn annual investment
GBHub Africa is an initiative of GBFoods Africa, which has invested over ₦120 billion in Nigeria over the past seven years. The company’s Managing Director, Mr Vincent Egbe, disclosed that another ₦25 billion would be invested this year alone.
He said the hub will focus on advancing interest-free loans to farmers, strengthening local organic input production, and boosting backwards integration into processing.
“Our goal is shared prosperity,” Egbe said. “It’s about guaranteeing that farmers have a ready market for their produce and can increase both quality and quantity to meet factory needs.”
Bridging the gap between farmers and markets
The GBHub is designed to serve as a bridge connecting farmers, processors, and market buyers. According to Executive Director of GBHub Africa, Nelson Madiba Amo, the goal is to build a resilient ecosystem that improves food processing and nutrition outcomes while creating jobs for young people.
“We’re not just funding farmers,” he said. “We’re also investing in the processing companies that buy from them, ensuring fair pricing and improved production capacity.”
Catalysing rural development and economic growth
The Minister stressed the need to link tomato-growing clusters to processing plants through initiatives like Linking Farmers to Processors, which will ensure farmers are paid fairly and food wastage is drastically reduced.
“Building rural processing infrastructure drives inclusive growth,” Kyari said. “It creates jobs, reduces hunger, and strengthens community resilience.”
The GBHub also prioritises:
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Training farmers in modern agronomic and post-harvest techniques
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Promoting sustainable irrigation and hygiene standards
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Facilitating access to finance through a robust financial framework.
Focus on sustainability and local sourcing
Chief Executive of GBFoods Africa, Vicenc Bosch, reiterated the company’s commitment to sustainability and local sourcing. He emphasised the need to reduce reliance on imported inputs and build local capacity.
“You can’t claim self-sufficiency if your factory ingredients are still imported,” Bosch said. “GBHub is here to build that missing ecosystem.”
So far, GBFoods has created over 3,000 direct jobs in Nigeria. Through GBHub Africa, it plans to expand job opportunities by strengthening the agricultural value chain and integrating young men and women into agribusiness.
