Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has called on manufacturers in the food and beverage industry to adopt smart packaging technologies to tackle Nigeria’s significant post-harvest losses and enhance food security. Speaking at the opening ceremony of the 11th edition of PROPAK West Africa 2024: Smart Packaging Conference in Lagos, Sanwo-Olu emphasized the importance of reducing waste through innovative packaging solutions.
“I encourage every stakeholder here to embrace the themes of this year’s event with urgency and determination. We must actively seek ways to implement smart packaging technologies that ensure food security and reduce waste,” he said. The governor also stressed the need for cross-sector collaboration to manage plastics responsibly and promote innovations that safeguard both the economy and the environment.
The three-day conference, which commenced on September 10, 2024, is themed ‘Unlocking Nigeria’s Food Security: Implementation of Smart Packaging to Reduce Waste.’ It brings together experts in packaging, processing, printing, and plastics to discuss the future of the industry.
Represented by the Commissioner for Commerce, Cooperatives, Trade, and Investment, Folashade Ambrose-Medebem, Sanwo-Olu highlighted that smart packaging for food security is a national priority, especially as Nigeria’s population and economic ambitions continue to grow. He pointed out that around 40% of the food produced in Nigeria is lost before it reaches consumers, largely due to inadequate processing, packaging, and storage.
“Despite our rich agricultural resources, we still face significant post-harvest losses,” the governor noted, emphasizing that the development of the food and beverage industry, particularly the packaging subsector, is crucial to boosting Nigeria’s economic growth and competitiveness in the global market.
