President of Sasakawa Africa Association meet with Chief Obasanjo, IFAD, Ambassador of Japan and others … discuss food security in Nigeria

President of Sasakawa Africa Association meet with Chief Obasanjo, IFAD, Ambassador of Japan and others

… discuss food security in Nigeria

By Benedicta Aboh

President of the Sasakawa Africa Association (SAA), Mr. Shuichi Suzuki, on Monday paid a courtesy visit to former Nigerian President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, in Abeokuta as part of his week-long familiarisation tour of Nigeria.

The visit is aimed at strengthening engagements on the Japanese organisation’s long-standing contributions to agricultural development and food security in the country.

Chief Obasanjo commended SAA for its sustained investment in Africa’s agricultural sector, urging African leaders to emulate the organisation’s consistency. He said continuity in agricultural investments remained critical to achieving lasting transformation on the continent.

In his remarks, Mr. Suzuki reaffirmed SAA’s commitment to Nigeria, noting that agriculture and the country’s rapidly growing youth population represented its greatest assets beyond oil and gas. During a closed-door meeting, both leaders explored new collaboration opportunities to enhance the livelihoods of smallholder farmers and support Nigeria’s agricultural transformation agenda.

Speaking on the significance of the visit, SAA Country Director in Nigeria, Dr. Godwin Atser, described the engagement as strategic. He noted that it offered Mr. Suzuki deeper insight into Nigeria’s agricultural realities and the impact SAA is making in improving rural livelihoods. According to him, SAA has reached over 20 million farmers in Nigeria in the past three decades through various agricultural extension approaches, though more work is still required.

Established in 1986, SAA is a non-governmental organisation dedicated to agricultural extension and smallholder farmer development. Headquartered in Tokyo, the Association operates country offices in Ethiopia, Nigeria, Mali and Uganda. Since opening its Nigerian office in 1992, the organisation has partnered with government institutions and development agencies to strengthen extension systems, promote climate-smart technologies and empower farming communities.

Before Monday’s engagement with Chief Obasanjo, Mr. Suzuki met last week with the Ambassador of Japan to Nigeria, His Excellency Suzuki Hideo; Director of Extension at the Federal Department of Extension, Mr. Olawumi Ayodele; and the Country Director of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), Ms. Dede Ekoue, in Abuja.

The visit marks Mr. Suzuki’s first official assignment in Nigeria since assuming leadership of SAA. Prior to joining the Association, he held senior executive roles at Sumitomo Corporation, serving in international offices in Baghdad, Singapore, Paris and London. He rose to become Executive Officer and General Manager of the Steel Pipe Division before later heading the Energy Division, where he championed global expansion and sustainability.

Following his retirement in 2019, Mr. Suzuki served as Advisor and Counselor to Sumitomo’s Mineral Resources and Chemicals Business Unit, as well as Chairman of GYXIS Corporation. He has consistently advocated sustainable growth, international cooperation and responsible resource management.