The Managing Director of Davidollar Farms Limited, Segun Alabi, asserts that Nigeria possesses an abundance of natural resources and opportunities, positioning the country for greater prosperity and sustainable economic growth.
Alabi said there is a need to move from farming to global wealth creation, noting that Africa must stop “importing poverty.”
“And what is the question? How can a continent so blessed remain economically constrained for decades? We have exported our wealth in its raw form. We grow the crops, we harvest the fruits, we ship them out. And then we import them back, processed, packed, and priced higher.
“Every pineapple exported raw is a missed opportunity, missed job, missed revenue, missed industrial growth. We are not poor because we lack resources. We are poor because we are not capturing the value”, he said.
Alabi noted that a single pineapple costs between three to five dollars.
He explained that Davidollar Farms has built large-scale pineapple production, developed processing capacity, and exports high-value products to global markets.
“We are creating a system where farmers can earn more. Investors can gain returns. Nigeria earns foreign exchange,” Alabi said.
He said that Africa builds industrial strength.
“We are moving from agriculture as a survivor, because that is the holding deal. What are we moving into? We are moving into agriculture as an industry.
“Why does this matter to Nigeria, and not just Nigeria, but to Africa at large? If we get this straight, we create thousands of jobs. We increase good GDP significantly. We reduce import dependency.
“We attract foreign investment. We reduce migration pressure on the youth, which is called Jaipur syndrome. This is not just a business.
“To our government leaders, we need policies that support agro-processing infrastructure, export facilitation, and access to finance”, Alabi said.
He called for support for companies like Davidollar and other indigenous agri-companies in Nigeria.
“You are not just supporting them alone. You are not just supporting business, but you are supporting economic transformation and a movement”, he said.
Alabi also called on both local and global investors to invest in agriculture.
“To Nigerians in the UK, in Canada, in Asia, in America, in Europe, to all the Africans in the diaspora, the future of agriculture is not in raw production. It is a value chain processing and export. Davidolla offers an opportunity to be part of a scaling agro-industrial platform, high growth export business, a solution to Africa’s economic challenge. This is not just investment. This is a participation in movement. Nigeria is the giant of Africa.
“Investing in Nigeria or in Africa is investing in an economy that has a future, and the future is now.
“The time has come to stop exporting our future, to stop exporting our job, and to stop exporting our wealth. The time has come to process, to produce, and to prosper. Davidolla is not just a company.
“It is a symbol of what is possible. Artificial means execution, and this is AI. And when I’m talking about AI, I’m not talking about artificial intelligence, but I’m talking about agricultural intelligence.
“Africa is not poor. Africa has simply been exporting its wealth in a raw form. The future belongs to those who process it.
“It is high time to join forces together, and build Nigeria, and build Africa of our dreams. Long live Africa. Long live Nigeria,” Alabi urged.