With $10m Seed Capital, FG Launches GBHub to Catalyse Funding, Market Access to Farmers

•GB Foods invests N120bn in economy over seven years, creates 3,000 jobs

James Emejo in Abuja

The Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari, yesterday inaugurated the GBHub Africa—a transformative initiative aimed at reshaping the future of agriculture and food security across Sub-Saharan Africa. 

An initiative of GBFoods Africa, GBHub is backed by a $10 million seed fund, demonstrating a commitment to investing in Small and Growing Businesses (SGBs) that aim to enhance the agricultural value chain.

Speaking at the unveiling of the landmark initiative in Abuja, the minister said despite being the largest producer of tomatoes in Africa, Nigeria remained the world’s largest importer of tomato paste.

This came as Managing Director, GB Foods Nigeria, Mr. Vincent Egbe, said the company has invested N120 billion in the country over the past seven years.  He also said over N25 billion will be invested this year.

He said the initiative seeks to advance interest free loans to farmers, and boost investments in local organic manufacturing to feed factories, a move aimed at backward integration.

Nonetheless, the minister pointed out that the country produces about 3.997 million tonnes of tomatoes annually, lamenting that about 45 per cent (about 1.8 million tonnes) are waste due to inefficiencies in the country’s agricultural supply chains.

Represented by his Technical Assistant, Ibrahim Alkali, Kyari said the waste represented not only lost food but lost livelihoods, economic potential, and nutritional access for Nigerians.

He said the country’s reliance on imports stemmed from multiple systemic challenges, including inadequate processing infrastructure, poor linkages between farmers and processors, and outdated farming practices.

He added that the failure to connect vibrant farmers to the processing companies that can monetise their produce exacerbates the challenges – adding that significant post-harvest losses and the underutilisation of existing resources hinder farmers’ capacities to thrive.

The minister, however, noted that GBHub Africa will foster innovation by empowering entrepreneurs who can bring forward solutions to the country’s pressing food security issues and enhance nutritional access across Nigeria and beyond.

He urged stakeholders to join hands with initiatives such as GBHub Africa to help chart a new course for Nigerian agriculture.

He said, “Through GBHub Africa, we emphasise the systematic mapping of tomato-growing clusters and direct linkages between farmers and processors.

“Initiatives such as the ‘Linking Farmers to Processors’ project will reduce wastage and ensure fair pricing for farmers’ produce, strengthening the agricultural ecosystem.

“The promotion of modern agronomic practices among farmers is fundamental to increasing productivity. GBFoods is committed to providing training on effective farming and post-harvest techniques, resulting in better yields and reduced wastage.

This focus on capacity building ultimately enhances our overall food security.

“Addressing the sustainability of our farming practices is critical. GBFoods recognises the need for sustainable irrigation solutions and hygiene standards that ensure the quality of produce while supporting environmental stewardship.”

He said, “A robust financial framework is imperative for our farmers to access the necessary resources. GBHub Africa is uniquely positioned to facilitate connections to financial institutions, thus providing farmers with what they need to thrive.

“Additionally, the establishment of processing plants and related infrastructure in rural areas catalyzes economic growth while empowering communities. By enhancing access to markets and providing stable sources for local farmers, GBHub Africa fosters resilience in our agricultural systems.”

Meanwhile, Egbe also said GB Foods had created over 3,000 direct employment opportunities for Nigerians.

He said the GB Hub is built around a sustainability framework where farmers supply the critical raw materials needed by industries.

He said, “The challenge in Nigeria is that you can build a new factory; you have inputs that have to go into that factory. Most inputs going into Nigerian factories today are still imported. So, even though the final product is made in Nigeria, many of the ingredients are not yet made in Nigeria.

“We are a developing nation and developing those ecosystems is what we are trying to talk about. So, the role of GBHub is to enable us to develop those ecosystems.

“How do we get farmers to have guarantees that they are growing something and this is where they can supply what they are growing; how can we ensure that the farmers can also raise their outputs both in quality and quantity to be able to supply what factories need?

“And how do we supply in other parts of the value chain and create shared prosperity? GB Hub is about creating shared prosperity.”

Executive Director, GBHub Africa, Nelson Madiba Amo, said the initiative seeks to enhance Africa’s food system value chain, nutrition, address food security, and create jobs for young men and women in the process.

He said, “We want to make sure once we invest in the farmers, there is access to a market where we can now connect this produce to market buyers, connect them to processors, connect them to factories.

“If these factories need capacity to be able to produce more or to manufacture more, we can also invest in these factories to make sure that they have what it takes to buy this produce from the market at fair market pricing and process them onto the market itself.”

Chief Executive, GBFoods Africa, Vicenc Bosch said the company philosophy was built around local out-sourcing and sustainability and harnessing local talents to develop projects as well as putting sustainability at the centre of the company, especially how to tackle malnutrition in the continent.