Former President Olusegun Obasanjo and Akinwumi Adesina, President of the African Development Bank (AfDB) point the way towards bridging generations gap to build Africa’s Agricultural future at the ongoing AgriConnect summit 2025 in Lagos.
Obasanjo, a lifelong advocate for agricultural transformation and food sovereignty chairs the summit, while Adesina delivers the keynote address as global champion of youth-focused agricultural policies.
The 2025 edition of AgriConnect summit, currently in its second year, is dedicated to solving the continent’s most pressing food security challenges through collaboration, innovation, and
youth engagement.
Themed, “Bridging the Generational Divide: Tactics and Strategies for Building Future Agripreneurs,” the summit scheduled for May 30 in Lagos, aims to empower and equip a new generation of agripreneurs to take the lead in shaping a sustainable agricultural future for Nigeria and Africa at large.
“Innovation rarely happens in isolation. Our goal is to connect people, ideas, and industries to tackle agriculture’s biggest challenges and unlock its greatest opportunities,” Toyosi Obasanjo, managing partner, Lorien Works, and organisers of The AgriConnect summit, said in a statement.
According to her, the summit is a bold demonstration of the firm’s commitment to sustainable agricultural development in Africa.
She noted that the summit started with a free two-day workshop and training program between May 28–29, 2025, designed exclusively for aspiring agripreneurs.
According to her, the workshop offered practical insights into agribusiness finance, branding, market access, agritech innovations, and Government support schemes.
She stated that participants had the opportunity to pitch their agribusiness ideas to a panel of industry leaders for a chance to win grants and cash prizes of $5,000, along with mentorship opportunities to help scale their ventures.
In addition, a special AgriTech Hackathon was also initiated for developers, engineers, and problem-solvers to create innovative, tech-based solutions to challenges in agriculture.
“The most promising projects will be recognized and rewarded at the main summit on May 30,” she stated.
The summit that was co-organised by Toyosi Obasanjo, managing partner, Lorien Works and CEO, Siella Red Media & Tech, and Temire Bob-Egbe, Founding Partner at Lorien Works, offered a platform for connection, innovation, and action.
“We’re creating a space where future agripreneurs are not only inspired but supported—through access to funding, mentorship, and a vibrant community,” Temire Bob-Egbe, founding partner, Lorien Works, stated
According to Bob-Egbe, the 2025 AgriConnect summit is designed as a platform where public and private sectors, youth and experience, technology and tradition, come together to reimagine Africa’s agricultural future.
He stated that the summit was not just an event, but a movement to transform agriculture from the ground up, starting with the people who would carry it forward.
“Whether you’re a policymaker, investor, farmer, technologist, or student, this summit is your opportunity to be part
of Africa’s agricultural rebirth.”
Some of the special guests at the summit included the Consul General of China, Yan Yuqing; EU Ambassador to Nigeria, Gautier Mignot; Babajide Sanwo-Olu, governor of Lagos, who all gathered to empower the next generation of agripreneurs.
