By Fatima Saka
A non-governmental organization, Uplifting Youths Through Agriculture (UYOTA), has reaffirmed its commitment to empowering young people across Africa through innovative agricultural initiatives and strategic partnerships.
Speaking at a press conference in Abuja on Saturday, UYOTA Co-Founder Prince Nnamdi Adigwe announced the upcoming Africa Youth Agri-Business Summit 2025, themed “Agriculture: The Key to Economic Empowerment, Sustainable Development and Food Security in Africa.”
Adigwe said the summit aims to ignite youth interest in agribusiness by equipping them with tools, knowledge, and opportunities to thrive across the agricultural value chain.
“Our goal is to achieve food sovereignty by actively engaging young people in agriculture as a profitable and sustainable venture,” he stated.
He added that the summit would serve as a platform for robust dialogue, cross-border collaboration, and improved access to agricultural financing and investment. He also emphasized that climate-related challenges facing agriculture will be a central focus of the summit’s agenda.
Also speaking, UYOTA’s National Zonal Coordinator, Mr. Bola Ojo, reaffirmed the organization’s alignment with President Bola Tinubu’s agricultural transformation agenda.
Ojo praised the administration’s agricultural policies and pledged UYOTA’s support to both federal and subnational governments in ensuring food security and youth inclusion in national development.
He further commended the Minister of Youth Development and leaders of the National Assembly for driving innovation in Nigeria’s agricultural space, adding that UYOTA’s grassroots initiatives were already yielding significant results across the country.
Fatima Saliu, Deputy Convener of the WIOTA Higher Summit and Head of Marketing and Media for the Africa Youth Agri-Business Summit 2025, described the event as a landmark gathering for Africa’s young agripreneurs.
“This summit is a first of its kind — not just in Nigeria, but across Africa. We are bringing together youth from across the continent to see agriculture not just as a necessity, but as a powerful, transformative business opportunity,” she said.
Saliu revealed that UYOTA is partnering with countries including South Africa and Ghana, with the Ghanaian Embassy already pledging full support. She added that the Nigerian Ministry of Youth Development is one of the summit’s major sponsors.
Addressing the uniqueness of the summit, Saliu emphasized that unlike previous agricultural forums, this one is “by the youth, for the youth.”
“Nigerian youth make up more than 60% of the population. We’re leveraging that energy, intelligence, and tech-savvy mindset to redefine agriculture — making it smart, mechanized, and modern. It won’t be the old, rugged type of farming. We’re making it beautiful, profitable, and exciting.”
In response to questions about genetically modified organisms (GMOs), she acknowledged the concerns often raised by Nigerians but promised that the summit would feature experts from around the world to engage in evidence-based discussions.
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“We’re not here to force an opinion. We’re bringing information and letting participants make informed decisions. Come to the summit, engage, and decide for yourself,” she said.
The Africa Youth Agri-Business Summit 2025 is scheduled for November and is expected to attract thousands of participants, investors, policy experts, and agri-tech innovators from across the continent.
