IFAD to boost discussions at 2026 Vanguard Economic Discourse
By Emeka Anaeto,
Business Editor World’s leading agricultural sector funding agency, the International Fund for Agriculture Development (IFAD) , an arm of the United Nations, is set to boost discussions on Nigeria’s agric and food sector at the upcoming 2026 Vanguard Economic Discourse.
The 2026 edition of the Vanguard Economic Discourse is scheduled to hold next week, Wednesday, April 22, 2026 at the Civic Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos starting by 9am.
The theme of this year’s edition is Food Security and Socio-economic Stability: Options for Nigeria’s Agriculture Sector Rebound.
Mrs Dede Ahoefa Ekoue, Country Director, United Nations’ International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) in Nigeria will be on the Panel of Discussants at the event.
The IFAD’s Nigeria office had told Vanguard Newspapers that she looks forward to contributing to the discussions under the theme, and engaging with other distinguished participants.
At the event IFAD is expected to shed more light on its activities in Nigeria’s agricultural environment, addressing the challenges and the prospects for growth.
The event which parades an array of key agro-sector leaders, has the Honorable Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Sen. Abubakar Kyari, as the chairman, while Dr. Hussein Gadain, ECOWAS/ Nigeria Resident Representative of the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organisation (UN/ FAO) is setting the stage for incisive discussion as the Keynote Speaker.
A group of eminent stakeholders in Nigeria’s agriculture and food value chain drawn from the public and private sector have been assembled as panelists.
The Panel session would be headed by the Honorable Minister of Livestock Development, Alhaji Idi Muktar Maiha.
It will also feature Dr Mrs Moji Davids, Managing Director, Xtralarge Farms & Resorts; Mohammed Magaji, President, All Farmers Association of Nigeria, AFAN; and Arc. Kabir Ibrahim, President of Nigeria Agribusiness Group, NABG.
The eminent stakeholders would also include representatives of financial institutions with the Agric Desks of Commercial Banks in the formal and networking sessions.
Mrs Dede Ahoefa Ekoue, Country Director of IFAD in Nigeria, has over 20 years of experience in management and leadership positions with UNDP, UN-WOMEN, including interim leadership positions with FAO and UNIDO.
From 2018 until January 2022, she was the UN-Women Country Representative in Haiti.
From 2007 to 2010, Mrs. Ekoue was Deputy Resident Representative Program and Operations for UNDP in Cameroon.
Between 1996 and 2007, she served as Africa Relationship Manager of Women’s World Banking in New York, USA. She assumed several international leadership functions including co-Chair for the International Development Association (IDA-World Bank)‘s 18th Replenishment and Chair of the Organizing Committee of the 16th United States– sub Sahara African Trade and Economic Cooperation (AGOA) Forum. Mrs. Ekoue was a three-time Minister in the Republic of Togo between 2010 and 2015.
The Vanguard Economic Summit has gained traction in the past eight years as a major public-private sector platform for reviews and cross-fertilization of economic development ideas by Nigeria’s public and private sector leaders.
The post IFAD to boost discussions at 2026 Vanguard Economic Discourse appeared first on Vanguard News.