Nigeria’s dependence on imported milk and dairy products, which costs the country about $1.5 billion annually, has prompted a new intervention in Akure, Ondo State, where Forthwith Global Limited has launched an Agri-Innovation Hub to train farmers and promote modern livestock practices.
The initiative, spearheaded by agribusiness consultant Akin-Olotu Juwon, is designed as both a research and demonstration facility, offering farmers hands-on training in climate-smart agriculture, animal health, and improved feeding systems.
“Nigeria consumes about 1.6 million tonnes of milk annually, yet produces only around 700,000 tonnes,” Juwon said at the unveiling. “The gap is filled by imports, which not only drain our foreign reserves but also leave us vulnerable to global price shocks. We believe it is time to craft solutions that are both innovative and rooted in our local realities.”
The Akure hub is built around practical engagement. Farmers and agripreneurs are expected to learn directly from operational models rather than classroom theory. “We want farmers to walk in, see best practices in action, and walk out with skills they can immediately apply to their farms,” Juwon added.
As part of its strategy, Forthwith Global is partnering with Dutch dairy experts to introduce proven systems in genetics, farm management, and sustainable feeding, while adapting them to Nigeria’s local context. According to Juwon, these collaborations aim to build local capacity, create rural jobs, conserve foreign exchange, and improve household nutrition.
Although dairy farming is the hub’s immediate focus, Forthwith Global also supports wider agribusiness development, including livestock and crop enterprise design, business planning, and market growth strategies. “Many agribusinesses fail not because the ideas are bad, but because there is a missing link between technical know-how and business strategy,” Juwon explained. “Our role is to bridge that gap.”
The Akure centre will serve as the flagship facility, with plans underway to replicate the model in other regions of the country.
