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The Lagos State Government has formally recognized the BATN Foundation for its two decades of sustained investment in Nigeria’s agricultural transformation and food security. The recognition came during the grand finale of the 2025 Eko World Food Day, held in alignment with the United Nations World Food Day, a global observance celebrated annually since 1979 to promote worldwide awareness and collective action on hunger and nutrition challenges.
World Food Day, coordinated by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), serves as a unifying platform for governments, development agencies, and the private sector to promote sustainable food systems and agricultural innovation. This year’s global theme, “Hand in Hand, For Better Food and Better Future,” emphasized collaboration across sectors to build resilience, ensure equitable access to nutritious food, and support farmers confronting climate and market pressures.
Reflecting this vision, Lagos State, in partnership with the BATN Foundation, Stanbic IBTC Bank and other stakeholders, used the 2025 commemoration to drive home the message of collective responsibility in achieving food security. The State Government and its partners showcased how effective public-private collaboration can unlock value for farmers, strengthen local production, and ensure food affordability across the state’s growing population.
During the event, His Excellency, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Barrister ‘Bimbola Salu-Hundeyin, commended the BATN Foundation for its “unwavering commitment to empowering farmers, advancing innovation, and deepening resilience in Nigeria’s agricultural value chain.”
A major highlight of the event was the official commissioning and distribution of 60 modern smoking kilns and 40 foldable fish ponds under the Fingerlings to Fork project, a joint initiative of the BATN Foundation and the Lagos State Agricultural Development Authority. These facilities were distributed to pre-vetted smallholder farmers who have undergone technical and agribusiness training supported by the Foundation.
Speaking at the ceremony, Mr. Yarub Al-Bahrani, Board Director, BATN Foundation noted that the Foundation’s work has reached far beyond Lagos. “Over the past two decades, we have directly impacted more than 300,000 farmers and reached over 1.7 million beneficiaries, including women and youth, across all 36 states and the FCT. Food security is not something any one sector can deliver alone; it requires all of us: government, private sector, civil society, and individuals, working hand in hand for a better future,” he said.
Governor Sanwo-Olu reaffirmed the state’s dedication to food sustainability, highlighting Lagos’s strategic roadmap to enhance agricultural productivity despite its limited landmass. “Feeding a megacity of over 20 million people requires bold thinking, innovation, and strong partnerships,” he said.
He added: “Lagos remains deeply committed to ensuring food sufficiency and will continue to build partnerships that support farmers and enhance local production. Agriculture is not just the bedrock of our economic resilience; it is central to our collective prosperity.”
Mrs. Odiri Erewa-Meggison, Board Director, BATN Foundation, emphasized that the Foundation’s work embodies this year’s theme. “The message of ‘Hand in Hand, For Better Food and Better Future’ perfectly captures the spirit of what we do. It’s about equipping farmers with the tools, knowledge, and networks to build climate-resilient and commercially viable agricultural enterprises,” she noted.
The Eko World Food Day celebration also provided a vibrant marketplace where smallholder farmers, supported by the Lagos State Government and the BATN Foundation, sold freshly harvested produce directly to consumers at fair prices, bridging farm-to-market gaps and stimulating rural economies.
The event drew a distinguished audience, including Barrister Abimbola Salu-Hundeyin (SSG, Lagos State), (Board Directors, BATN Foundation; Yarub Al-Bahrani, Odiri Erewa-Meggison, and Umair Luqman. Also, stakeholders from Stanbic IBTC Bank, including Opeyemi Atunwa, Client Coordinator, Adetoro Adebanjo, Head, Consumer Sector, Nengi Okain, Client Analyst, Consumer Sector, Corporate and Investment Banking. Government officials, smallholder farmers, and representatives from civil society, academia, and the private sector were also in attendance.
Since its establishment in 2002, the BATN Foundation has executed more than 350 community development projects, championing sustainable agriculture, rural enterprise, and youth inclusion as pillars of Nigeria’s food ecosystem. Its partnerships with state governments, farmer cooperatives, and development agencies continue to demonstrate how private-sector innovation can support national and global goals for sustainable food systems.
As the world marks UN World Food Day 2025, Lagos’s collaboration with partners such as the BATN Foundation underscores the power of working hand in hand, transforming advocacy into action, and ensuring that every investment in agriculture translates into a stronger, more food-secure future for Nigeria.
