Stakeholders at the Nigeria Food Summit (NFS) 2025 have emphasised the need for urgent innovation, collaboration and harnessing the full potential of the country’s local flavours and agricultural resources to make the country a true food destination.

The summit convener, Gbolabo Adebakin (Chef Gibbs), who highlighted the importance of Nigeria’s rich culinary heritage, reiterated the urgent need to position the country’s cuisine on the global stage.

He said: “Nigeria’s culinary heritage is one of the richest in the world, yet it remains underrepresented globally. This summit is a call to action for food entrepreneurs, chefs, and policymakers to take ownership of our industry’s growth. We must innovate, collaborate, and harness the full potential of our local flavours and agricultural resources to make Nigeria a true food destination.”

Held at the Landmark Centre, Lagos, under the theme: “Making Nigeria a Global Food Destination,” the summit attracted industry leaders, culinary innovators, policymakers, chefs, food scientists, entrepreneurs, and stakeholders in the food value chain, who are committed to shaping the future of Nigeria’s food industry.

In his keynote speech, Kola Oyeneyin, announced the launch of a dedicated $1m fund to support food businesses and accelerate industry growth. He stated: “The success of any industry is deeply tied to access to capital. The Nigerian food industry is brimming with potential, but we risk stalling its growth without the right funding structures. This fund empowers food entrepreneurs to scale, innovate, and compete globally. Investing in food is not just about business; it’s about securing the future of our economy and ensuring food sustainability for generations to come.”

The event featured four insightful panel sessions – The Past, The Present, The Future of the Nigerian Food Industry, moderated by Bukola Benson, with panelists like Iquo Ukoh, Michael Williams, Paul Kavanagh, and Dr. Eric.

Another critical discussion – Launching, Sustaining, and Scaling a Food Business in Nigeria, was led by Bukkie Akinmade and attended by Anjola Awosika, Eunice Adeyemi, Abiola Adelana, and Gbenga Sosan.

Technology’s role in food innovation took centre stage in the panel tagged: “A Fully Automated Food Industry: The Future is Tech,” moderated by Uzo Orimalade with industry experts Vera Ebhohon, Ted Oladele, Toheeb Bakare, Luther Lawoyin, Tanaz Bahnam, Chikodi Ukaiwe, and Aghuienoh Tarek.

Beyond business strategy, the conversation shifted to the realities of entrepreneurship in “Running a Business in Nigeria: Beyond the Clout,” featuring Victory Jumbo, Hilda Baci, Modupe Emmanuel, Olapeju Umar, and Malaika, with moderation by Uju Ameshi. The final panel, “Chef’s Table,” featured the Vice President of APCN, Chef Nick, the President of CAPA, Chef Amaka, and Chef Ik a renowned Chef From Ghana.

In addition to panel discussions, master classes by Anjola Awosika, Chef Miyonsea, Chef Tucker, Chef TYB, Omoye Cooks and others, provided deep dives into essential industry topics, covering the history of Nigerian food, plating and molecular gastronomy, food styling and content creation, canapé table spreads and photography, and Nigerian culinary arts with a farm-to-table approach.

A special live podcast session of “One Bite at a Time,” hosted by Chef Vee and Chef Wu, added an engaging and interactive element to the summit.

Another summit highlight was the Pitch-a-thon, where three food businesses pitched their innovative ideas in an elevation pitch contest that Elizabeth Toluwalope Akinwole from Tblizs Foods won.

The competition, aimed at fostering food entrepreneurship, saw the winner win N1m worth of business support from County Support Consulting, an all-expense-paid trip to a resort in Nigeria sponsored by Torrista, free branding services by Snappcode Productions, and business advisory support from Food Business Consultant.