Low productivity, a fragmented supply chain, poor infrastructure, and a lack of access to financial services are just a few of the hurdles that prevent the sector from reaching its full potential.

Coupled with the unpredictable and severe shocks of climate change, from prolonged droughts to devastating floods, these issues threaten the food security of a rapidly growing population.

To truly transform this vital sector, a new approach is needed, one that moves beyond traditional methods and embraces the power of technology.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is not just a futuristic buzzword; it is the imperative for Nigeria’s agricultural revolution.

AI holds the key to unlocking higher yields, building resilience, and fostering an inclusive and sustainable food system that can feed a nation and drive economic growth.

The most immediate impact of AI is in the area of precision farming. By integrating AI with technologies like Internet of Things (IoT) sensors, drones, and satellite imagery, farmers can gain an unprecedented understanding of their land.

AI-powered systems can analyse real-time data on soil moisture, nutrient levels, and plant health, providing actionable insights for targeted interventions.

For instance, smart irrigation systems can optimize water usage, a critical resource in a country facing increasing water scarcity.

AI-enabled drones can survey vast farmlands in minutes, identifying early signs of pests or disease and allowing for precise application of pesticides, reducing chemical use and cost.

Early trials of these technologies in Nigeria have already demonstrated significant gains, with some reports showing a remarkable 60-70% increase in crop yields.

Climate adaptation is another area where AI’s role is indispensable. Nigeria’s farmers are on the front lines of climate change, enduring erratic rainfall and extreme weather events. AI can provide a shield against this volatility.

By analyzing historical weather data and real-time forecasts, AI models can offer accurate, localized predictions.

This allows farmers to proactively adjust their planting schedules, select climate-resilient crop varieties, and plan for potential risks, effectively mitigating the devastating impact of droughts and floods.

The economic benefits extend far beyond the farm gate. A significant portion of Nigeria’s agricultural produce is lost due to an inefficient and fragmented supply chain. AI can streamline logistics, optimize transportation routes, and enhance inventory management.

By reducing spoilage and waste, AI ensures that more of what is harvested reaches the market, thereby boosting the incomes of farmers and providing a more stable supply of food for consumers.

The success of Nigerian agritech companies like Crop2Cash, which has reportedly helped over 500,000 farmers increase their income by up to 70%, demonstrates the tangible economic impact of these technologies.

AI is a powerful tool for promoting financial inclusion and education. Millions of smallholder farmers, who form the backbone of Nigerian agriculture, are often excluded from formal financial systems due to a lack of collateral and credit history.

AI-driven fintech solutions can bridge this gap by assessing creditworthiness using alternative data, making it easier for farmers to access the loans and insurance they need to scale their operations.

AI-powered mobile apps and chatbots can also serve as virtual extension agents, providing personalized advice on best farming practices, pest control, and crop management, democratizing knowledge and empowering farmers to make better decisions.

Despite this immense potential, the journey towards widespread AI adoption is not without its hurdles. High upfront costs for AI-enabled equipment, a general lack of understanding and experience with these tools, and a preference for traditional methods are all significant barriers.

Furthermore, infrastructural gaps, including poor roads and inadequate storage facilities, hinder the seamless implementation of these technologies. Data availability and computational capacity are also key challenges that need to be addressed.

However, the Nigerian government and a burgeoning ecosystem of agritech startups are already paving the way forward. The government’s vision is articulated in initiatives like the National AI Strategy, which aims to establish AI research centers and support R&D.

Programs such as the Nigeria Artificial Intelligence Research Scheme (NAIRS) and the NITDA AI Developers Group are building the necessary skills among entrepreneurs and farmers.

Strategic partnerships between government bodies, financial institutions, and innovative startups are creating localized solutions that are tailored to the unique conditions of Nigerian agriculture.

Ultimately, AI is not a luxury but an imperative for Nigeria to unlock its agricultural potential. Its successful integration will transform the role of the farmer from a manual labourer to a strategic planner and overseer of a smart, efficient, and sustainable food system.

By investing in infrastructure, fostering strategic partnerships, and prioritizing education and capacity building, Nigeria can harness the power of AI to feed its people, drive economic prosperity, and secure its place as a leader in the African agricultural revolution.

In recognition of the critical role SMEs play, MultiChoice launched the MultiChoice Africa Accelerator programme which trained 29 businesses across 9 African countries in key entrepreneurial skills.

As the second leg of the programme, a panel of experts has selected 11 of the most promising small businesses and invited them to pitch to prospective international investors in Dubai.

“There’s no denying the impact African SMMEs have on job creation and economic growth,” says Fhulufhelo Badugela, MultiChoice Africa CEO. “Through the MultiChoice Africa Accelerator Programme, our vision is to take that impact and multiply it beyond what our start-up founders ever believed possible. I have no doubt these small businesses will be able to take everything they’ve learned so far to unlock transformative business funding.”

The MultiChoice Africa Accelerator programme, the brainchild of the MultiChoice Group and part of the MultiChoice Innovation Fund, in collaboration with Dubai-based business incubator Companies Creating Change (C3), technical partner EOH, and Galelo Africa, has been designed as a platform to help grow start-up businesses from across Africa.

The programme specifically targets start-ups and small businesses in the technology sectors of health tech, agritech, fintech, edutech, the circular economy, and creative industries.

“The quality of the submissions this year was high. It confirms our view that Africa has enormous potential. The specific focus on tech industries allows us to showcase the innovation of Africa to the world, but also enables these businesses to develop tech solutions to real societal problems,” continues Badugela.

The first phase of the MultiChoice Africa Accelerator Programme saw public and private-sector partners in each country nominating businesses or entrepreneurs for the programme. From there, 29 of the start-ups embarked on an intensive virtual training course during December 2022 and in Johannesburg.

The 11 startups attended a dedicated boot camp in Lusaka, Zambia to learn more about how to shape their story for international investors, and to get “pitch ready” before their big presentations.

The 11 startups shortlisted to present their business plans to a panel of investors for this year’s MultiChoice Africa Accelerator Programme are:

1. Tupuca from Angola

Tupuca is an on-demand quick-commerce platform and logistical aggregator of uber-like drivers that allows users to order from multiple vendors and service providers ranging from restaurants, grocery stores, small retailers and courier services.

2. Taskmoby from Ethiopia

Taskmoby is the first digital marketplace in Ethiopia that connects customers with qualified home services providers (e.g. plumbers, cleaners, electricians), leveraging a mobile application, SMS/USSD solutions and a dedicated call center.

3. StarNews Mobile from Ivory Coast

StarNews Mobile is a pan-African media-tech company whose mission is to give financial freedom to African creators from the distribution and monetization of their digital content globally.

4. Tendo from Ghana

Tendo is a social commerce platform that enables anyone to sell online with zero capital.

5. Zuri Health from Kenya

Zuri Health is a virtual hospital (Super Health App) providing affordable and accessible healthcare services to patients across Sub-Saharan Africa via mobile app, website, WhatsApp bot and SMS service. 

Through the app, patients can chat and consult with doctors, buy medication from pharmacies, book labs and diagnostic tests and even have a doctor visit them at home.

6.  Dojah Inc from Nigeria

Dojah Inc is an end-to-end Identity verification and compliance framework to strengthen confidence, credibility, and compliance across digital businesses.

7. Crop2Cash from Nigeria

At Crop2Cash, we have built a digital financial service that allows smallholder farmers anywhere in Nigeria to open a bank account on their feature phones in under 2 minutes, with no internet required.

8. MaTontine from Senegal

MaTontine is a digital financial services platform. It digitise traditional, African savings groups to provide access to financial services for financially excluded women in Africa.

9. Botlhale AI South Africa

Botlhale AI builds Natural Language Processing (NLP) tools for African languages. Developers and organisations can integrate any of these tools into their solutions through its APIs.

10. Gradesmatch from South Africa

Gradesmatch helps students (and families) to transition from education to economic opportunity by making the journey as simple as possible.

The company builds the core enabling infrastructure that simplifies the journey from education to economic opportunity.

11. Mighty Finance Solution from Zambia

Mighty Finance Solution provides SMEs in emerging markets with seamless credit and financial solutions using artificial intelligence.

The company leverages proprietary credit rating algorithm to pave the way for a unique lending experience and transforming lives through the provision of simple, quick and affordable loans.