As Nigeria continues to confront the challenge of improving domestic food production, efforts to evaluate new technologies for managing Fall Armyworm—a destructive pest that has become a major threat to maize cultivation across Africa—have reached another milestone with the ongoing validation of the Sentinel-X agricultural technology.

According to Prexea Technologies Limited, the company’s leading field deployments in partnership with technical collaborators, pilot trials are nearing completion across Nigeria’s six agro-ecological zones, with a national rollout expected after the conclusion of the validation process.

A Persistent Threat to Maize Production
Since its first detection in Africa in 2016, Fall Armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda) has spread rapidly across the continent, attacking maize and more than 80 other crops. It remains one of the most significant biological threats to food security in sub-Saharan Africa.

For Nigeria, the implications are particularly important. As one of Africa’s largest maize producers, the country has experienced substantial production losses attributed to Fall Armyworm infestations. Earlier, regional assessments estimated that yearly economic losses to Nigeria’s maize sector could range from approximately $750m to $1.86b if effective management measures are not implemented. More recent modeling studies indicate that under severe infestation, yield losses can exceed 70 per cent in affected fields, depending on environmental conditions and crop management practices.

Against this backdrop, researchers, policymakers and farmers continue to seek environmentally sustainable and economically viable approaches to pest management.

Demonstrating Field Performance
To provide stakeholders with an opportunity to observe the technology under field conditions, Prexea Technologies recently organised a Green Field Day in Abuja. The event brought together farmers, representatives of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, officials of the Nigeria Agricultural Quarantine Service, agricultural extension personnel, consultants and development partners.

The programme showcased results from pilot deployments already completed in Kaduna State, the Federal Capital Territory and other locations, while providing a platform for technical discussions on the ongoing validation programme.

The General Manager of Prexea Technologies Limited and lead agronomist for the project, Mrs. Martha Solomon, said the Green Field Day was intended to keep stakeholders informed throughout the validation process rather than wait until the technology’s commercial introduction.

According to her, the exercise enabled participants to examine field observations, engage directly with technical experts and farmers, and better understand the objectives of the nationwide evaluation.

Multi-State Validation Programme
The validation programme has so far covered locations in Kano, Kaduna, Keffi and Kwali, with additional trials planned for Bauchi, Kwara and Oyo states to complete testing under different ecological conditions.

Prexea reports that preliminary observations from the completed sites indicate reduced Fall Armyworm damage and improved crop health following deployment of Sentinel-X. The company says it is documenting these observations through field assessments involving farmers, agricultural extension officers, and government representatives before any nationwide commercial rollout.

One of the demonstration sites in Lere Local Council of Kaduna State was revisited after treatment to evaluate crop performance.

Solomon said farmers and extension officers who monitored the fields before and after deployment reported noticeable differences in plant health and pest damage.

She noted that evaluations across multiple ecological zones aim to determine whether the technology performs consistently under different farming conditions before wider adoption is recommended.

Government Oversight
Officials from the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security have participated in the field validation exercises, observing crop conditions before and after deployment as part of the evaluation process.

Dr. Jalal Maihula of the ministry explained that government participation is intended to provide independent oversight by assessing agronomic performance, pest severity, and overall field outcomes before any large-scale deployment.

“Our responsibility is to ensure that every required validation step is completed,” he said during the Green Field Day. Based on observations from the sites visited and feedback from participating farmers, he described the preliminary outcomes as encouraging while emphasising the importance of completing the full validation programme before broader deployment.

An Evidence-based Introduction
Unlike many agricultural products that enter the market immediately after importation, Prexea says it undertakes multi-location field trials involving government agencies, farmers and technical stakeholders before launching Sentinel-X commercially.

According to the company, the objective is to generate practical evidence under Nigerian farming conditions and build confidence among farmers, regulators and institutional partners.

The evaluation includes both the Sentinel-X Pest Control component, designed to reduce Fall Armyworm infestation, and the Sentinel-X Crop Booster component, which the company says supports crop vigor through improved nutrient utilisation.

Looking Ahead
Although the validation programme has yet to conclude, the field demonstrations represent an important step in assessing whether innovative technologies can contribute to integrated pest management and improved maize production in Nigeria.

As the remaining ecological-zone trials are completed, attention is expected to shift towards the national launch of Sentinel-X and the publication of the full validation findings. For policymakers and farmers alike, the ultimate measure of success will be whether the technology delivers consistent, independently verifiable results across diverse farming systems while supporting Nigeria’s broader objectives of improving agricultural productivity, strengthening food security and reducing reliance on chemical pest-control interventions.