Beyond workshops: How to make capacity building truly transformative for Nigeria’s food systems

Capacity development remains one of the most funded and trusted pathways to strengthen institutions, empower professionals, and accelerate economic growth, especially in Nigeria. From federal ministries to state agencies, NGOs, and agrifood enterprises, hundreds participate each year in training sessions on leadership, digital tools, monitoring and evaluation, agronomy, nutrition, finance, coordination, and more.

Development partners continue to invest heavily in workshops, technical training, leadership programmes, extension support, digital skills, and organisational development. And rightly so, because people are the backbone of every reform, policy, and food system we aim to transform. However, despite this significant investment, a recurring question remains: why does capacity building sometimes seem slow in producing tangible, visible change?

The evidence does not suggest a failure of training itself, but rather a gap in how training interacts with the environments in which people operate. Capacity does not develop in isolation. Individuals learn as part of systems shaped by policies, incentives, structures, culture, tools, and politics.

Despite sustained investment in training, Nigeria still faces gaps in talent, institutional performance, and service delivery. From state planning units to extension services, nutrition desks, research institutions, cooperatives, SMEs, and agribusinesses, capacity development is not optional; it is critical. Global development practice consistently shows that training is only one component of long-term capacity development, and its impact depends heavily on leadership, organisational culture, and the systems people return to after the workshop.

To unlock the full value of capacity development in Nigeria, particularly for agriculture and food systems transformation, a broader and more holistic approach is required, one that builds people, strengthens organisations, and aligns the systems they operate within.

What global evidence tells us

International studies consistently show that while training builds knowledge, knowledge alone does not automatically translate into behaviour change or improved performance. Three widely recognised findings stand out.

First, only a fraction of the training is applied without system support. A substantial body of research on training transfer shows that knowledge gained during training does not automatically translate into improved performance unless workplace conditions support it. An estimated 60–90% of knowledge acquired during training is not applied at work when leadership, incentives, tools, and processes are weak or absent.

Second, training combined with reinforcement outperforms training alone. Global evaluations comparing “training only” approaches with “training plus follow-up support” show that participants who receive coaching, practice opportunities, and application tasks demonstrate significantly higher skill uptake and nearly 50% greater improvement in work performance. This confirms that training content becomes more effective when supported by structures that encourage application.

Third, the World Bank’s Independent Evaluation Group confirms that training alone is insufficient. Its findings emphasise that training must be paired with organisational reforms, institutional incentives, and leadership engagement to achieve meaningful development outcomes. Training, on its own, rarely builds sustainable capacity.

A systems lens for Nigeria’s capacity development

Nigeria urgently needs capacity development, particularly in agriculture, nutrition, climate resilience, extension systems, and public-sector coordination. To maximise returns on investment, capacity programmes must move beyond the training room and address three interconnected levels.

At the individual level, people still require technical, managerial, digital, financial, analytical, gender-responsive, climate-smart, and leadership skills. Learning is most effective when it is directly linked to the real challenges participants face in their daily work.

At the organisational level, learning is converted into productivity through tools, processes, reporting structures, incentives, and decision-making culture. Without this layer, even well-trained professionals struggle to perform effectively.

At the institutional and system level, transformation takes root. Capacity efforts falter when policies conflict, coordination platforms are weak, accountability mechanisms are compromised, budgets arrive late or not at all, and political transitions disrupt priorities. When these three levels align, learning translates into performance, and performance leads to transformation.

Why this matters for Nigeria’s food systems

Nigeria’s food system is deeply interconnected. Farmers depend on extension services, extension depends on inputs, data, and coordination, processors depend on markets, markets depend on policies, and nutrition outcomes depend on behaviour, affordability, and access.

Development partners invest in capacity programmes because the sector cannot grow without skilled people and strong institutions. To drive real change, programmes must address system-wide constraints, involve leadership, and combine training with follow-up coaching and practical application. Co-designing solutions with participants improves adoption, while updating tools, SOPs, and frameworks embeds new skills into organisational practice.

Success should be measured by improvements in coordination, service delivery, decision-making, data quality, and outcomes, not attendance alone. Strengthening policies, budgets, incentives, and data systems helps ensure these gains endure.

Training will always matter. But training embedded within a well-designed system is what delivers lasting capacity development. The opportunity now is to ensure that investments produce deeper, more sustainable impact. By adopting a systems-thinking approach, capacity development moves beyond workshops and becomes a deliberate pathway for strengthening institutions, improving agricultural productivity, enhancing nutrition outcomes, and accelerating food systems transformation.

 

Grace Omini is a manager at Sahel Consulting Agriculture & Nutrition Limited.