The Federal Government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the National Space Research and Development Agency to deploy satellite technology for an agricultural traceability system, farmland monitoring and deforestation-free supply-chain verification, in a move aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s global competitiveness.
Okay News reports that the agreement was concluded in Abuja on Wednesday during an official signing ceremony attended by senior government officials and technical experts working on the agricultural traceability system.
Sen. Abubakar Kyari, Nigeria’s Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, described the partnership as both strategic and symbolic, noting that the agricultural traceability system will help Nigeria meet rising global standards and expand its export capacity.
He emphasised that President Bola Tinubu has identified agriculture as a central pillar of national economic renewal, and the agricultural traceability system aligns with ongoing reforms to modernise value chains and protect farmers from emerging international regulations.
According to the ministry, the MoU establishes the foundation for a nationwide agricultural traceability system backed by satellite imagery, real-time monitoring and data-driven environmental assessment provided by NASRDA.
Officials also unveiled the National White Paper on Strategy for European Union Deforestation Regulation Compliance, which requires all agricultural exports to be traceable to exact farm boundaries and verified as legally produced and deforestation-free through the new agricultural traceability system.
Kyari warned that Nigeria risks losing more than $1 billion in direct export earnings and over $3 billion in wider economic value annually if it fails to meet these requirements, underscoring the urgency of deploying the agricultural traceability system nationwide.
Dr Mathew Adepoju, Director-General of NASRDA, pledged the agency’s readiness to support implementation, stressing that space-based monitoring will improve accuracy, transparency and regulatory compliance under the agricultural traceability system.
The Permanent Secretary of the Agriculture Ministry, Dr Marcus Ogunbiyi, also highlighted that global markets now prioritise issues such as deforestation and supply-chain visibility, making the agricultural traceability system essential for Nigeria’s long-term competitiveness.
