Everyone’s talking about Africa’s food revolution—and Nigeria is often at the centre of that conversation. But before you put a single dollar into Nigeria’s Agrifood sector, you need more than excitement. You need clarity.
Senior Adviser on PostHarvest Systems & Agribusiness Development, Adetiloye Continental, has watched too many investors lose money, not because the opportunity wasn’t real, but because they didn’t understand the terrain.
In this piece, he shares five hard truths he has learned from the ground up—lessons every serious agrifood investor needs to hear.
If you’re thinking of investing in Nigeria’s food system, take a minute to read this. It might save you years—and a lot of money.👇🏾
“Before you invest a single dollar into Nigeria’s Agrifood sector, hear this, because I’ve seen people lose money, and blame everyone else, not because the opportunity wasn’t real, but because they didn’t understand the terrain.
Number one: Agriculture here is not plug-and-play. It’s not enough to copy a model from another country. You need a Nigeria-specific approach, one that accounts for external factors (like temperature, humidity, rain patterns even sunlight), infrastructure gaps, seasonal challenges, and market behaviors.
Number two: Get your buyer first before production. I repeat, don’t produce because everybody eats o, everybody doesn’t eat. Don’t fall into the trap of producing without buyers. Always start with your end-user in mind, who are they, what do they need, and can they pay for it?
Number three: Everything rises and falls on logistics, Everything. If you can’t move your goods, especially perishables, you’ll lose before you scale. Infact, spend 95% of your time perfecting your logistics and 5% for the rest.
Number four: You would see anything till the 4th year! One of the biggest myths is that you’ll invest in 6 months or 1 year and cash out. It doesn’t work that way. Agrifood is a long-term play. It takes time to build systems, build trust, and build returns. Think 3 to 5 years, not 6 to 12 months. If you bring a short-term mindset into a long-term business, you’ll exit with regret and blame everyone for not being trustworthy.
And number five: Relationships move things here. From land access to export approvals, nothing substitutes strong, trusted partnerships. Success is all about network.
Nigeria’s agrifood sector is filled with opportunity, but only for those who respect the process. Enter with patience, build with wisdom, and your returns will come.“
©Aadetiloye Continental
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