… says Pastor Umo Eno is farmers -friendly governor
Dr. Howard Usen is the Convener and Chairman, Central Organising Committee of the 5th Agribusiness Roundtable International Conference, tagged Uyo 2026, and South-South Zonal Coordinator of the Nigeria Agribusiness and Agro-Industry Development Initiative, NAADI.
In this interview with our EDITORIAL TEAM ahead of the conference scheduled for October 25 to 28, 2026, in Uyo, he speaks on the choice of Akwa Ibom, the state’s agribusiness potential, and what participants should expect.
EXCERPTS:
Preparations for Uyo 2026 seem to have intensified. What is the current level of readiness?
We are fully ready. Just last week, we had a strategic review meeting with the Agribusiness Unit in the Office of the Governor to harmonize our plans. Programme planning is 95 percent complete, stakeholder mobilization is ongoing, exhibitors have been booking spaces, and delegates from across Nigeria and outside have confirmed participation.
We have received formal endorsements from the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security and the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment. The Permanent Secretaries of both ministries have confirmed they will be in Uyo. United Nations agencies including FAO, UNIDO and IFAD are also coming. All hands are on deck to ensure a successful conference that promotes meaningful dialogue, practical partnerships and lasting value for Akwa Ibom State.
Why Akwa Ibom for the 5th edition? What makes the state stand out?
Akwa Ibom was not chosen by accident. First, look at our geography. We have vast arable lands, from the coastal areas of Ibeno, Eket, Eastern Obolo, to the upland areas of Ini, Ikono, Obot Akara. We have good rainfall, we have water bodies, we have human resources that are hardworking and hospitable.
With our arable lands and human resources, Akwa Ibom State can feed the entire South-southern Nigeria. That is not an exaggeration. We can feed this region if we deliberately unlock our value chains in cassava, rice, oil palm, coconut, fisheries and vegetables.
Secondly, the state is peaceful, which is critical for agribusiness investment. Thirdly, we have a farmers-friendly governor. His Excellency, Pastor Umo Eno, is genuinely farmers-friendly. Through the ARISE Agenda, he has shown clear commitment to food security, rural development and agricultural revolution. The Agribusiness Unit he created is driving that vision. So, Uyo 2026 is an opportunity to showcase the work of His Excellency and position Akwa Ibom as an agribusiness destination.
What exactly is the theme of the conference driving at?
The theme is “Accelerating Agribusiness Transformation: Unlocking Value Chains to Achieve Food Security, Nutrition Sustainability, Job Creation, Poverty Alleviation, and National Prosperity.”
For too long, we have treated agriculture as a development project. No. Agriculture is business. Agribusiness. Until we unlock value chains – production, processing, storage, logistics, market access, finance – we will continue to lose over 40 percent of what we produce to post-harvest losses. The conference will focus on how to process what we produce here, add value here, and trade within the AfCFTA framework.
One of the highlights you mentioned is the Uyo Declaration. What is it about?
The Uyo Declaration on Climate-Resilient Agribusiness, Origin Processing, AfCFTA Trade Integration and Food Security (2026–2035) will be the major outcome of the conference. It is intended to provide a framework for continued dialogue and cooperation among stakeholders.
It will address shared priorities for building more resilient agricultural systems, strengthening local processing and value addition, improving market access, and supporting inclusive economic development. Its proposed actions will be discussed with participants and shaped through the conference process. We want a document that outlives the four-day event.
What should an average farmer or young agripreneur expect to gain by attending?
This is not a talk-shop for big men alone. The conference is designed to provide a meeting point for policymakers, farmers, cooperatives, processors, financiers, researchers, technology providers and development organisations.
If you are a farmer, you will meet buyers. If you are a processor, you will meet investors. If you are a young person with an agritech idea, you will meet financiers and UN agencies who can support you. Exhibitors will present their products, technologies and investment opportunities. Farmers and cooperatives will connect with relevant organisations and explore business and institutional partnerships.
We are also having B2B meetings, technical masterclasses on access to finance, climate resilience, trade, and special sessions for women and youth in agribusiness.
There are concerns that conferences end without follow-up. How will Uyo 2026 be different?
That is why we insisted on the Declaration and the involvement of the Agribusiness Unit. The State Government is not just hosting us; they are co-owning the process. We are building an ecosystem. The Agribusiness Unit will track the partnerships that are formed at the conference.
Governor Umo Eno has already demonstrated that he walks the talk in agriculture. What we need now is to align private capital, donor support and federal endorsements to what the state is already doing.
By October 28, when we leave Watbridge Hotels and Suites, people should be able to say Akwa Ibom has started a new chapter in feeding Nigeria.
Your final word to stakeholders?
I invite everyone – federal and state agencies, UN organisations, donor agencies, financial institutions, private companies, farmers associations, cooperatives, processors, exhibitors, media – to participate in Uyo 2026. This is our collective agenda. Food security is national security.