The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) and the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security have called for increased investment in digital agricultural extension services to improve farmers’ access to timely information, boost productivity and strengthen food security in Nigeria.
The Director-General of NITDA, Kashifu Inuwa, CCIE, made the call at the Africa Agribusiness Extension Summit (AAES) 2026, organised by Extension Africa in partnership with NITDA in Abuja on Friday, October 2.
Represented by the Director of e-Government, Engr. Salisu Kaka, Inuwa said Nigeria could no longer depend solely on conventional face-to-face extension services to meet the needs of its growing farming population.
He explained that emerging technologies, particularly Artificial Intelligence (AI), could complement the existing extension workforce by connecting farmers to agricultural advisory services regardless of their location.
According to him, Nigeria needs an integrated digital ecosystem rather than fragmented platforms, stressing that interoperability, scalability, security and reliable data are essential to delivering effective digital agricultural services.
Inuwa also highlighted the potential of AI to analyse agricultural trends, provide tailored recommendations and support early-warning systems that would enable farmers to respond promptly to emerging threats.
Similarly, the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Abubakar Kyari, advocated increased investment in digital extension services as part of efforts to modernise agriculture, improve productivity and enhance national food security.
Kyari observed that Nigeria’s conventional agricultural extension system had weakened over the years, with the ratio of farmers to extension agents increasing significantly in many areas.
He called for the deployment of digital platforms capable of delivering weather alerts, market information, crop-disease advice and other essential agricultural information through mobile phones and alternative communication channels.
The minister, however, emphasised that digital solutions must reflect the realities of farmers and complement, rather than replace, conventional extension services.
He also urged state governments to increase investment in agricultural extension, while encouraging greater participation by young people and deliberate efforts to ensure that women farmers benefit from digital advisory services.
Kyari noted that improving the productivity of millions of Nigerian farmers would be critical to meeting the country’s growing food demand, adding that access to relevant agricultural knowledge and advisory services could improve livelihoods and strengthen food security.
Earlier, the Chief Executive Officer of Extension Africa, Tajudeen Yahaya, said the organisation was established to address gaps in Africa’s agricultural extension system and strengthen the delivery of advisory services to farmers at the grassroots.
Yahaya identified people, data, technology and partnerships as the key pillars of an effective agricultural extension system, calling for stronger collaboration among government agencies, private-sector organisations, development partners and technology companies.
He said Extension Africa, established in 2021, had expanded its network to about 7,000 extension workers across 16 states and reached more than one million farmers.
According to him, the summit was designed to establish measurable benchmarks and develop practical solutions for strengthening Nigeria’s agricultural extension system through improved human capacity, reliable data, digital technology and sustainable partnerships.
