Nurturing Nigeria’s vegetable heartland:
New partnership advances WorldVeg presence in Africa

– 20 November 2025 –

Nigeria’s Plateau State is poised to play a leading role in the country’s vegetable transformation as the State Government, the Federation of Agricultural Commodity Associations of Nigeria (FACAN), and WorldVeg enter into an agreement to establish a new vegetable research and training center.

With more than 220 million people – expected to reach up to 400 million by 2050 – Nigeria faces a range of vegetable-related challenges: consumption is lower compared to the recommended daily intake, and vegetables are often expensive and of inconsistent quality. Also, farmers struggle with access to improved seed, climate-resilient production practices, and postharvest technologies, resulting in significant losses before vegetables reach consumers.

But Plateau State – in the country’s North Central region – stands out as one of the country’s most promising locations for year-round vegetable production. Its altitude (1,200-1,400m asl) and cool climate make it ideal for both tropical and temperate vegetable crops – from tomatoes and peppers to cucurbits and leafy greens like amaranth. These conditions have long supported vegetable production, but yields remain below potential due to limited access to quality seed, technical know-how, and markets.

With this new collaboration, Plateau State aims to strengthen its role as Nigeria’s vegetable heartland – providing a vital hub for research, innovation, and training that could benefit farmers and consumers in the state and across the country more broadly.

Addressing WorldVeg staff in Tainan, Taiwan, following the signing of the three-way Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), the Honorable Commissioner for Agriculture for Plateau State, Samson Ishaku Bugama, spoke of the need for Nigeria to achieve food sovereignty, describing it as something that is “uppermost in our hearts.” He added that working together with WorldVeg meant there would be “a big reward ahead of us.”

Joining him for the signing occasion were Sheriff Balogun, national president of FACAN, Salihu Ramat Nnakogi, general manager of Nigerian agribusiness Olugbon Industries, and Relicx T. Shiolban, Acting Trade Commissioner at the Nigeria Trade Office in Taipei, Taiwan.

WorldVeg brings more than five decades of global leadership in vegetable science to the partnership. The new research and training center marks an important step in strengthening the organisation’s operations in Nigeria – in line with its new Global Strategy, which aims to enhance its long-standing presence on the continent.

“Today represents the beginning of an important expansion of WorldVeg in Africa and a very welcome strengthening of ties with both Plateau State and Nigeria,” said Marco Wopereis, Director General of WorldVeg. “The research and training center will be a hub for innovation, capacity building and opportunity – connecting Nigeria to global vegetable research while responding directly to local needs.”

The center will serve as the organization’s official hub in Nigeria and is expected to become an important part of its Africa-wide operations. It aims to:

  • strengthen vegetable production systems;
  • boost nutrition and food security;
  • build capacity and create jobs for youth and women;
  • link farmers to markets through better seed, better practices, and better postharvest systems.

WorldVeg Associate Director General for Africa, Gabriel Rugalema, said: “WorldVeg has been active in driving innovation in Africa’s vegetable sector for over three decades. We’re excited at the prospect of supporting farmers, youth, and women in Nigeria with the skills and technologies that will drive a healthier, more resilient vegetable economy in Africa’s most populous country.”

   

   

Under the new partnership, WorldVeg will:

  • provide technical leadership for setting up and managing the research and training center;
  • integrate Plateau State into its global R&D network;
  • train state and national agricultural officers, researchers, extension agents, youth and women’s groups;
  • conduct seed trials, adaptive research, and postharvest demonstrations to reduce production losses and improve the quality of produce;
  • develop extension materials and best-practice packages tailored to Nigerian farmers;
  • help pursue international funding to build and sustain the new center.

Plateau State will provide the land, infrastructure, office space, permits, and on-the-ground coordination. FACAN, with its nationwide network of commodity associations, will mobilize farmers, coordinate with federal ministries, and support policy advocacy to ensure the center plays a role in Nigeria’s wider agricultural agenda.

The agreement represents a substantial step forward for vegetable-focused R&D in Nigeria, offering a pathway to more nutritious diets, improved livelihoods, and a more resilient vegetable sector.