The 5th Agribusiness Roundtable International Conference, AGRIC 2026, is scheduled to take place in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, from October 25 to 28, 2026. The conference aims to unlock investment opportunities across Nigeria's agricultural value chains, strengthen agro-industrial capacity, and connect producers and businesses with local and international capital. The event is expected to bring together over 500 high-level industry executives, investors, and policymakers.
The conference, organised by the Nigeria Agribusiness and Agro-Industry Development Initiative (NAADI) South-South and the Federation of Agricultural Commodity Associations of Nigeria (FACAN), is being held in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, and the Akwa Ibom State Government. The theme of the conference is "Accelerating Agribusiness Transformation: Unlocking Value Chains to Achieve Food Security, Nutrition Sustainability, Job Creation, Poverty Alleviation and National Prosperity."
According to Dr. Howard Usen, South-South Zonal Coordinator of NAADI and Chairman of the Central Organising Committee, AGRIC 2026 is designed to move beyond policy discussions to concrete investment and commercial transactions. The conference will facilitate partnerships, processing projects, off-take agreements, and integration of grassroots commodity producers into wider markets.
A major component of the conference will be the International Trade Pavilion, which will provide a marketplace for domestic and international companies to display products and connect with institutional buyers, government procurement officials, and potential off-takers. The event will also feature closed-door investor deal rooms where bankable agricultural projects will be presented to potential financiers.
The conference will also provide opportunities for young people, women entrepreneurs, farmers, cooperatives, and researchers, including masterclasses, research-to-market commercialisation opportunities, and a ₦1 million Value Chain Pitch for innovative solutions to challenges across agricultural value chains. The organisers plan to commission Phase One of the Centre for Innovative and Sustainable Agriculture (CISA) and hold the Agribusiness Development and Enterprise Award, ADEA 2026.
The choice of Uyo as the conference venue was informed by the state's infrastructure and agricultural development initiatives under the ARISE Agenda, citing facilities and projects such as Ibom Air and the St. Gabriel Coconut Refinery. The conference is expected to position Akwa Ibom and the South-South region as destinations for agro-industrial investment by showcasing agricultural assets, processing opportunities, and infrastructure to investors.
The organisers expect the conference to facilitate investment commitments, technical partnerships, industrial projects, employment opportunities, and agreements between international technology partners, development finance institutions, and regional agribusinesses. The success of the conference will be measured by the practical opportunities created for producers and investors, with a focus on creating a platform where capital meets verified capacity.
Key points
- Over 500 global industry executives, investors, and policymakers are expected to attend AGRIC 2026.
- The conference aims to unlock investment opportunities across Nigeria's agricultural value chains and strengthen agro-industrial capacity.
- The event will feature an International Trade Pavilion and closed-door investor deal rooms to facilitate partnerships and investments.
