Nigeria and Thailand have strengthened bilateral cooperation in agriculture with a new partnership focused on agricultural research, innovation, technology transfer, capacity building and cooperative development.
The partnership was formalised during the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and the launch of the Thailand International Cooperation Agency (TICA) on Thursday, August 27, 2026, at the Lekki Room of the Robinson Blu Anchorage Hotel, Lagos.
Speaking at the event, the Executive Secretary of the Agricultural Research Council of Nigeria (ARCN), Dr. Dabban, stressed the importance of international partnerships in accelerating the transformation of Nigeria’s agricultural sector.
Dabban said collaboration with Thai institutions would provide opportunities for knowledge exchange, access to modern technologies, research cooperation and human-capacity development.
He noted that stronger institutional ties between Nigeria and Thailand would enable researchers, farmers and other agricultural stakeholders to benefit from innovative approaches and practical solutions to challenges confronting food production and agricultural development.
The ARCN Executive Secretary reaffirmed the Council’s commitment to supporting partnerships capable of promoting agricultural research, innovation and technology transfer, while advancing Nigeria’s food security objectives.
Also speaking, the Provost and Chief Executive Officer of the Federal Cooperative College, Oji River, Enugu State, Dr. Jude Ejikeme Obidiegwu, said the partnership was designed to deliver sustainable and measurable impact across various segments of the agricultural value chain.
Obidiegwu explained that the initiative would target host communities, students, farmers, cooperative societies, private-sector players and innovators.
In his presentation titled, “Insights into the Thai-Nigeria Collaborative Framework,” the Provost provided background to the partnership, highlighting the history of engagements and communications between Nigeria and Thailand that culminated in the current collaboration.
He said the initiative would create platforms for stakeholders to share knowledge, develop practical solutions and strengthen cooperative approaches to agricultural development.
The signing of the MoU and the TICA launch were described as a significant milestone in Nigeria-Thailand relations, particularly in efforts to build a more productive, resilient and technology-driven agricultural sector.
The collaboration is expected to strengthen cooperation in agricultural research and innovation, while facilitating technology transfer, capacity building and agricultural entrepreneurship.
The initiative also aligned with the Federal Government’s broader food security agenda under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration, with emphasis on developing sustainable agricultural systems and improving the capacity of stakeholders across the sector.
