Spain and Nigeria are looking to deepen cooperation in agriculture, with food production, technology transfer, livestock, irrigation and investment among the areas discussed during a meeting in Madrid.

Spain’s Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Luis Planas, met Nigeria’s newly accredited ambassador to Spain, Okezie Victor Ikpeazu, on Thursday, September 17, during the ambassador’s courtesy visit to the Spanish ministry.

The meeting focused on possible ways to expand agricultural and livestock cooperation between the two countries, with food security identified as a shared challenge.

Ambassador begins diplomatic assignment in Spain

The meeting came just days after Ikpeazu formally began his diplomatic assignment in Spain.

King Felipe VI received the ambassador’s Letters of Credence at the Palacio Real in Madrid on September 14, formally accrediting him as Nigeria’s ambassador to the country.

Ikpeazu’s appointment creates an opportunity for both governments to review existing areas of bilateral cooperation and identify new opportunities in sectors including agriculture, trade and investment.

Food security at the centre of discussions

According to Spain’s Agriculture Ministry, both countries face challenges related to the future of agriculture, particularly food security.

The ministry said international cooperation could help Spain and Nigeria exchange knowledge and experience while developing solutions to those challenges.

Planas highlighted areas in which Spain has developed considerable agricultural expertise, including crop-disease prevention, improved seed production and agricultural technologies.

Technology transfer is a key priority

One of the main areas discussed was the potential transfer of agricultural technology and expertise from Spain to Nigeria.

The talks included improved seedlings, crop protection, irrigation, livestock production and food preservation.

Nigeria is seeking to increase domestic agricultural productivity and reduce losses after harvest, while Spain is being presented as a potential source of technical knowledge and investment.

Nigeria points to its agricultural potential

Ikpeazu stressed the size of Nigeria’s agricultural sector and the employment opportunities it could provide, particularly for the country's large young population.

He argued that increasing agricultural production could contribute to food security and employment while creating broader economic opportunities.

The ambassador also linked agricultural development to the wider challenge of irregular migration, saying stronger employment opportunities could help address some of the economic pressures contributing to migration.

Spain's agricultural experience highlighted

Planas highlighted Spain's experience in crop-disease prevention and the development of improved, high-yielding seedlings.

He also pointed to food preservation policies and technologies as areas where Spanish experience could potentially be adapted to Nigerian conditions.

According to reports of the meeting, Planas said Spain's use of innovative technologies had contributed to a 20% reduction in food losses in 2025. The figure is a statement attributed to the minister rather than a figure independently established in the Spanish ministry's short public account of the meeting.

GB Foods cited as an example of Spanish investment

During the discussion, Ikpeazu referred to Spanish food company GB Foods as an example of existing Spanish investment in Nigeria.

The company operates in Nigeria, including its agricultural and food-processing activities associated with Kebbi State and manufacturing operations in Ogun State.

According to the ambassador, the introduction of improved tomato seedlings associated with the company's activities had increased yields from approximately 10 tonnes to more than 60 tonnes per hectare.

That yield comparison has been widely reported from the meeting, but it remains a figure attributed to the ambassador rather than an independently verified nationwide measure of Nigerian tomato production.

Interest in livestock development

Livestock production was another area highlighted during the meeting.

Nigeria expressed an interest in expanding animal production for both domestic consumption and potential export.

The ambassador called for greater cooperation with Spain in livestock development, including the transfer of knowledge and technology.

Spain's Agriculture Ministry independently confirms that agriculture and livestock were among the subjects discussed by Planas and Ikpeazu.

Irrigation and food preservation

Irrigation was also identified as an area with potential for closer cooperation.

Nigeria's agricultural sector includes large areas where improved irrigation infrastructure could support more consistent production, while Spanish experience in water management and agricultural technology offers one possible area for technical exchange.

Food preservation was another focus, particularly in relation to post-harvest losses.

The Nigerian side highlighted inadequate preservation and transportation infrastructure as factors contributing to food losses and said cooperation could help address those challenges.

Investment could play a larger role

The talks also considered increasing private-sector investment alongside government-to-government cooperation.

Nigeria is seeking greater foreign investment in agriculture, while Spain already has companies operating in the country's food and agricultural sectors.

The two sides agreed to encourage investment promotion and to consider proposals from relevant government bodies and private-sector stakeholders.

The discussion therefore extends beyond technical assistance to the possibility of deeper commercial links.

Cooperation is still at the discussion stage

No new bilateral agricultural agreement was announced as part of the meeting.

Instead, the Spanish ministry described the encounter as an opportunity to analyse possible avenues for cooperation, while reports from the Nigerian side said both parties agreed to encourage closer collaboration, technology transfer and investment.

Any future projects or formal agreements would need to go through the relevant government agencies and private-sector participants.

A broader Nigeria-Spain relationship

Agriculture is one part of a wider bilateral relationship between Nigeria and Spain.

Ikpeazu has identified trade, investment, energy, infrastructure, agriculture, education, culture, tourism and security among the areas where Nigeria wants to strengthen ties with Spain.

His September meeting with Planas comes at the beginning of his diplomatic tenure and provides an early indication of the importance being placed on economic and agricultural cooperation.

What the meeting could mean for agriculture

For Nigeria, the discussions focus on increasing agricultural productivity, strengthening food security, reducing post-harvest losses and creating employment.

For Spain, deeper cooperation would provide opportunities to share technology and expertise while potentially creating additional commercial and investment links with one of Africa's largest economies.

The two countries are now expected to examine specific proposals through the relevant institutions and private-sector stakeholders.

Next steps

The immediate outcome of the Madrid meeting is continued dialogue rather than a completed agricultural agreement.

Spain and Nigeria have identified several areas for possible cooperation, including improved seeds, crop protection, irrigation, livestock production, food preservation, technology transfer and investment.

Further progress will depend on the development and assessment of specific proposals by government agencies and businesses in both countries.