Branding Nigeria through agriculture

Special events have proven to be veritable means of putting places and people under spotlight and generating awareness among the public at both local and international levels. In recent times, an upsurge of various events, in sports, entertainment, professional meetings, NGO fora, international organisations and global groups has elicited a frenzy of interests in participants, usually drawn from far and near.

United States, European countries, Asia and Latin America have had their fair share of such events. Increasingly, the Middle East is coming into reckoning as a melting pot for global conferences and events. There are great sporting events held in Abu Dhabi, in Dubai, such as Formula One, sailing, golf and other forms of entertainment. The business communities have seen a chunk of outings in the North America and European Union.

Business conferences have found a home in London just as other annual industry gatherings take place elsewhere in Europe. While these countries identify issues of concern to them in some cases, they also organise gathering on other countries as well. The international exhibition for animal production in Rennes, France; the annual International Poultry Exposition in Atlanta, US, and other familiar events draw investors from far and wide and bring huge revenues to the host countries.

While a good number of events targeted at Africa are held in far-away US, Britain and elsewhere, Africa has yet to host any significant number of events in which its future is being determined. By contrast, Africa has been largely unnoticed in most of these international events, either as global or regional gatherings. Nigeria, in particular, has not been much noticed until very recently. Even in Africa, we have heard of global events coming as close as to Nairobi in Kenya, Dakar in Senegal, Johannesburg or Pretoria in South Africa, or Accra in Ghana, but not so much has been heard of Lagos or Abuja.

Until 2014, regional (African) gathering of the World Economic Forum (outside Davos) was associated with South Africa. But in 2014, Nigeria had the privilege and fortune of hosting African regional WEF, with significant foreign participation despite the prevailing security challenges that enveloped the country at that time. At the national level, an annual event that the business community eagerly awaits is the Nigerian Economic Summit (NES), which has taken place for more than 20 consecutive years.

In 2013, NES did the unusual, making agriculture its theme for the year’s mammoth gathering, with emphasis on economic diversification from oil-dependence. The response of participants was an eye-opener to greater things agriculture has in stock for Nigeria, a country with vast natural resources and expansive arable land. It follows therefore that, properly harnessed, Nigeria can make fortune from agriculture on all fronts. With Nigerians constituting a bulk of participants in many international agricultural events outside, it is time the country began to host its own within its territorial borders, drawing others to participate.

The benefits can be huge and unprecedented. Nigeria can use agriculture, which is a comparative advantage, to secure a global competitive advantage in many other sectors, such as health, tourism, aviation, hospitality, entertainment, sports and even education. Year 2013 was a turning point, with the recognition of agriculture as a major conference theme at NES #19 in Abuja. Participants from all walks of life drew attention to the importance of the agricultural sector as means of diversifying away from oil-dependent economy. The tempo needs to remain high.

It is encouraging that somehow Nigeria is leaning in the right direction, going by the series of events that attracted a large number of people towards the end of 2015. The Daily Trust agricultural conference held on October 27 and 28, 2015 in Abuja was instructive. Apart from a similar event organised in Lagos years before by BusinessDay newspaper, the Daily Trust event was a commendable one on agriculture organised by a media organisation in Abuja to date. This was followed by the Nigerian annual poultry show, a big one, held every November, at Abeokuta, with participants coming from Europe and beyond. It was held on November 3 to 5, 2015. The direct involvement of media houses in organising agricultural events is a testimony to the huge opportunities they have seen in agriculture: the public and private sector therefore need to key in, very quickly.

Almost overlapping the poultry show was the AgricExpo, which has grown a lot bigger, with heavy international presence; it took place on November 5 to 7, 2015. Back to back with AgricExpo, the increasingly popular EU-Nigeria Business Forum was organised at the highbrow Eko Hotel, with emphasis on agriculture. AgraInnovate, another agricultural exhibition that made a debut in 2014, held its second expo much later in November 2015.

From the growing trend, Nigeria already has a platform on which to build its solid international exposure in agricultural investment and business networking, by recognising the annual shows as something to look forward to. But the dates have to be consistent, not subject to annual vagaries so that intending participants can plan their trips and allocate funds appropriately.

For a country, such shows are good and they are a sign of interests in our economy. This has significance in marketing, public relations and branding for the country. It will get agricultural stakeholders to focus on this period. It will help agro-tourism, boost the hotel and hospitality industry, expand aviation industry base both local and international, open up business for local media (print and electronic) and raise the entertainment world’s fortune. Investors from other sectors will discover more openings here. It is a good way to brand Nigeria using agriculture.

Nigeria could come up with slogans, designating the month as “November to remember” in the agricultural calendar of the nation for landmark events such as conferences, exhibitions, shows and expos. This becomes a rallying point for agriculture and allied businesses. The year 2015 has laid a foundation for such and the various tiers of governments could work in collaboration with the business community, particularly the chambers of commerce, to create local and international awareness that will situate Nigeria in the global context of international events.

OLUKAYODE OYELEYE
Oyeleye is a consultant and media adviser to the minister of agriculture.