Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to encouraging innovative individuals and groups capable of scaling up the state’s food security system.

Sanwo-Olu gave the assurance at the 2025 Lagos Food Festival held at Muri Okunola Park, Victoria Island, with the theme “Taste Without Borders.”

He said that over the past eleven months, the state government, through the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Systems, has implemented several interventions and empowerment initiatives that have positively impacted agripreneurs and stakeholders across the food value chain.

According to the governor: “The Ministry of Agriculture and Food Systems have done so much this year; they have empowered a lot of entrepreneurs, and this is in a bid to continue to put innovators and aggregators in the food business, to allow them to be independent and to do well as entrepreneurs.

“And families are also here to enjoy and see the exhibition of various food cultures and cuisine, and you can see that the whole place is filled up. I myself have also been put to a quick food chef. I actually cooked; I was turned to Chef Jide. This is where I cooked a seafood rice with spinach, and I tasted my own cooking as well.

“But it is a whole idea of families coming out, encouraging people in the catering and food space, and for us to be able to use food to tell the Lagos story. So it is really for people to see, understand, and appreciate that we are people who are very fashionista in all areas.

“Food is one in which you can show your arts and your skills, and we are doing it on a budget and opening opportunities for a lot of young talents. We are opening up smart people, and businesses are being transformed.”

Sanwo-Olu added that it is imperative for government to design programmes that uplift citizens and encourage diverse skills, stressing that his administration will continue to sustain food security to keep Lagos safe and livable for all.

In her remarks, the Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Systems, Ms. Abisola Olusanya, described the festival, now in its fifth edition, as a reflection of what Lagos represents, particularly its rich culinary culture blended with entertainment.

Olusanya noted that the festival has enabled food actors in the state to connect, network, and expand their businesses beyond borders. She said: “Lagos is very diverse; it is very multicultural, and so we believe that in celebrating everything that is Lagos, food is the embodiment of that.

“And we, as the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Systems, are the curators and the custodians of that. So it is best that we celebrate all of our value food chain actors, and the Lagos Food Festival is a place to do so.

“We have had many stars made from the Lagos Food Festival just by reason of Mr. Governor cooking along with them, tasting their foods, and giving a word of encouragement.

“So this is an avenue for us, as the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Systems, to solidify all of our interventions over the years and to celebrate everyone that makes it possible for all of us to eat in Lagos.”

She added that given the multicultural nature of Lagos, the state government remains committed to celebrating its values and supporting food value chain actors.

Some participants, particularly food vendors at the festival, commended the Lagos State Government for its year-round interventions aimed at strengthening and growing the food sector.