Joy Agwunobi
AgriTech is increasingly driving a quiet revolution across Nigeria’s agricultural landscape, leveraging digital tools to address age-old inefficiencies in food production, distribution, and financing. From providing access to mechanised tools and market intelligence to enabling climate-resilient practices and inclusive financing, AgriTech startups are redefining how agriculture operates at the grassroots.
Yet, in Nigeria’s broader technology narrative, it remains a marginal player. When conversations about the country’s tech ecosystem arise, the spotlight tends to focus on fintech companies which continue to command media attention, investor funding, and government support with IPOs and digital banking licenses making headlines.
Despite agritech’s critical role in enhancing food production, alleviating hunger, and fostering economic resilience in underserved areas, the sector remains one of the most underrepresented sectors in Nigeria’s tech narrative. The question remains: why does a sector with the potential to nourish more than 200 million Nigerians receive so little attention?
Agriculture contributes more than 23 percent to Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and sustains the livelihoods of over 70 percent of households, particularly in rural areas. Despite this central role, the sector is plagued by chronic inefficiencies that prevent it from unlocking its full potential. According to the GSMA AgriTech report, farmers face significant hurdles such as high transportation costs, limited access to markets, price opacity, and severe post-harvest losses all of which erode their earnings and entrench them in poverty cycles.
Poor infrastructure, particularly in rural areas, compounds the issue. The absence of reliable roads, storage facilities, and logistics networks limits the movement of produce and stifles access to essential inputs like seeds and fertilizers. In this context, farmers are often left at the mercy of middlemen who control the value chain, further shrinking their already narrow profit margins.
Access to finance remains another critical barrier. The GSMA report highlights that just 34 percent of rural Nigerians, predominantly smallholder farmers — are financially included through formal institutions, compared to 45 percent nationally. Compounding the issue is the fact that 95 percent of farmland lacks formal titles, effectively barring farmers from using their land as collateral for credit. In the absence of inclusive financing options, many resort to informal lending sources with exploitative interest rates, locking them into cycles of debt and limited growth.
The report further highlighted that buyers of agricultural produce struggle with poor access to reliable data, limited tracking systems, and ineffective inventory management tools. These gaps make it harder to ensure quality, forecast demand accurately, and maintain supply chain integrity.
Addressing these structural obstacles, a growing number of Nigerian AgriTech startups are stepping in to transform how agriculture is practiced and financed bringing efficiency, transparency, and hope. Companies like Hello Tractor, ThriveAgric, Winich Farms, and Farmcrowdy among others are deploying solutions that link farmers with capital, markets, machinery, and agricultural intelligence.
Hello Tractor, for instance, operates like an “Uber for tractors.” Through its digital platform, farmers can rent tractor services, supported by GPS-based fleet management tools that optimise usage and improve operational planning, particularly in the face of erratic rainfall patterns.
ThriveAgric, another player in the space, connects smallholder farmers with financing, best practices rooted in data analytics, and access to local and global markets. By improving productivity and market reach, ThriveAgric aims to bolster food security.
Winich Farms addresses the twin issues of market access and financing. By creating direct linkages among farmers, input suppliers, and buyers, and by offering financial tools tailored to smallholder needs, Winich empowers farmers to move toward self-sufficiency and higher earnings.
These platforms are not just solving logistical issues; they are closing structural gaps in Nigeria’s agricultural economy. Yet, despite their potential, AgriTech startups continue to operate in the shadows of more celebrated sectors.
This disparity is most visible in funding patterns. According to AgFunderNews, African AgriTech startups collectively raised $65 million in 2024 — with most of that going to fintech-oriented solutions. Meanwhile, Nigeria’s fintech sector continues to dominate the investment space, with companies like Moniepoint raising over $100 million and reaching unicorn status the same year. This imbalance highlights the clear gap between agriculture’s relevance to the economy and the level of investment and the level of investment it receives.
While funding is a key problem for agritech startups, there is also the issue of the ability to penetrate the market. A joint report by Mozilla Corporation and the African Union Development Agency (AU-NEPAD) noted that many smallholder farmers struggle to adopt digital tools due to limited education, deeply ingrained traditional farming methods, and language diversity makes it hard for them to communicate with digital entrepreneurs.
The report suggested that targeted investment in AgriTech startups, support for research and development, and farmer education are essential steps toward increasing the sector’s adoption of innovative technologies. Training programmes tailored to local needs could help farmers transition to more productive, tech-supported practices.
Additionally, fintech firms benefit from structured regulatory frameworks, including digital banking licenses and sandbox environments under the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). In contrast, AgriTech lacks similar policy backing. Broader agricultural policies like increased farm lending—seldom address the unique operational needs of AgriTech startups.
Public policy appears misaligned with the sector’s potential. Though agriculture is widely hailed as Nigeria’s economic backbone, national strategies like the National Digital Economy Policy (2020–2030) barely mention AgriTech. While the National Agricultural Technology and Innovation Policy (NATIP) and funding from institutions like the African Development Bank and GSMA have seeded some accelerator programmes, a cohesive nationwide AgriTech strategy is still absent.
Visibility is another critical missing piece. Fintech firms dominate the media narrative, with IPOs, acquisitions, and partnerships regularly commanding headlines. Agritech, by contrast, receives little mainstream coverage despite its role in solving some of Nigeria’s most urgent challenges, from food security to rural unemployment.
Ignoring AgriTech is not an option especially as Nigeria faces a rapidly growing population. According to Intelpoint, the country is projected to become the third most populous nation in the world by 2050, with an estimated 401.3 million people. Meeting the food needs of such a vast population will demand smarter, more efficient farming systems.
Experts in the sector believe AgriTech offers solutions that extend far beyond the boundaries of the farm. From linking producers directly to markets and promoting climate-resilient agricultural practices, to cutting down food waste and opening up new employment opportunities for the youth, AgriTech holds immense potential. However, they noted that without the focused attention, sustained investment, and enabling policy support it critically needs, this potential may remain untapped—leaving Nigeria ill-prepared for the agricultural demands of the future.
