Kwara State is poised to become a key supplier of agricultural produce to Nigeria’s largest consuming market, following the activation of Lagos State’s ₦500 billion Offtake Guarantee Fund to secure long-term commodity supply partnerships.
This positions Kwara as a major source for grains, legumes, fish, and other high-demand commodities.
The development was recently confirmed at a strategic meeting led by the Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, Afees Alabi, in conjunction with major farmer associations and commodity groups in the state.
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Alabi disclosed that the Lagos-Kwara arrangement has entered its initial stage of implementation, marking the first concrete activation of an offtake framework.
Engagements with other industry-backed bodies interested in similar supply arrangements are also ongoing and gaining traction.
The commissioner explained that the Lagos initiative, backed by the ₦500 billion procurement structure, is designed to stabilize supply to the nation’s largest food-consuming market, protect Kwara farmers from price volatility and ensure consistent access to quality produce.
Alabi noted that Kwara’s well-organised farmer associations and strong production clusters position the State to effectively meet these substantial demands.
The commissioner emphasised that this guaranteed offtake marks a turning point for farmers who have long struggled with post-harvest uncertainties and unstable pricing.
“With a secure buyer and government-backed system now in place, farmers can plan and expand with confidence, knowing their output has an assured market even before planting,” Alabi stated.
He attributed these opportunities to the deliberate policy direction of Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, whose agricultural reforms prioritise market access, structured value chains, and strategic partnerships.
Speaking on behalf of farmer groups, Olawoyin Solomon, Chairman of the Nigeria Soybeans Association, Kwara State Chapter, hailed the development as a major milestone that addresses the uncertainty of finding guaranteed buyers after harvest.
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He assured that farmers are fully prepared to scale operations, confident that the emerging offtake structures guarantee fair value for their produce and safeguard their investments, ultimately strengthening Kwara’s agricultural economy.
The Ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Funke Sokoya, stressed the importance of continued coordination between the ministry and commodity groups to meet the high expectations of the Lagos model and other pending partnerships.