Standardisation has been identified as the missing link in unlocking the full economic potential of Nigeria’s food industry.

The Chef and Convener of the Nigeria Food Summit (NFS), Captain Gbolabo Gibbs, who disclosed this during the official launch of the NFS 2026 national communications campaign, held at Curate, Landmark Village, Victoria Island, Lagos, with the theme: “Gastronomy in Nigeria: Journey to Standardisation,” said Nigeria does not have a food potential problem, but a systems opportunity.

“Standardisation is the bridge between our extraordinary culinary heritage and a globally competitive food economy. If we want Nigerian gastronomy to earn lasting international recognition, we must build systems that allow excellence to be repeated, trusted and scaled.”

In his keynote address, Chef Gibbs, emphasised that the summit is designed to unite stakeholders across the food value chain—not simply to discuss the future of food, but to collectively build it.

The event brought together government officials, food industry leaders, strategic partners, hospitality professionals, and 15 accredited media organisations, marking the official commencement of the journey toward the Nigeria Food Summit scheduled to hold July 21–22, 2026 at the Landmark Event Centre, Lagos.

The press conference also featured goodwill remarks from the Lagos State Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Systems, Ms. Abisola Olusanya, who reaffirmed the Ministry’s support for the initiative and highlighted the importance of gastronomy within Nigeria’s evolving food ecosystem.

“Standardisation is about more than consistency. It is about quality. It is about food safety. It is about professionalism. It is about building consumer confidence and positioning Nigerian cuisine to compete confidently on the global stage.”

The Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer of PricePally, Ms. Jummai Abalaka, who joined Chef Gibbs and the Commissioner at the high table, spoke on why PricePally chose to partner with the NFS.

“Nigeria’s journey to food standardisation must begin where food begins. Gastronomy starts long before the kitchen, it begins on the farm. At PricePally, we believe standardisation connects every stakeholder across the food value chain, delivering better outcomes for farmers, businesses, and consumers.

“A resilient food system is one where standards travel from farm to fork, building trust, reducing waste, improving livelihoods, and making quality food more accessible to every Nigerian.”

This year’s summit comes at a pivotal time for Nigeria’s economy. Following the country’s GDP rebasing exercise, agriculture accounted for approximately 20.1 per cent of Nigeria’s GDP in the third quarter of 2025, while the country’s hospitality sector is projected to grow to approximately US$2.6b by 2029.

Against this backdrop, the NFS seeks to advance national conversations around food quality, safety, innovation, documentation, entrepreneurship, and global competitiveness through the lens of standardisation.

Over two days, the summit will convene stakeholders, including policymakers, regulators, farmers, processors, manufacturers, chefs, restaurateurs, investors, researchers, hospitality professionals, development partners, and entrepreneurs. Participants will engage in keynote presentations, fireside conversations, panel discussions, master classes, experiential activations, networking sessions, exhibitions, and the Nigeria Food Summit Awards.