By Anthony Otaru
The pioneer Deputy President of the Abuja Chambers of Commerce and Industry (ACCI), Prof Adesoji Adesugba, has lamented that although Nigeria is a nation of promise, it is widely restrained by poverty, food insecurity, and unfulfilled potential.
He said that with youth unemployment hovering near 40 per cent, remains underutilised and often disillusioned.
According to him, the disconnect between what we have and what we achieve is not just a failure of productivity; it is a failure of policy and systems.
Adesugba stated this in a keynote address titled, “Tackling Hunger in a Land of Plenty – Advancing Economic Justice through Inclusive Policy Reforms in Nigeria” at the 2025 Annual Feast of Barracuda, organised in Abuja on Saturday by the Sahara Deck of the National Association Seadogs (Pyrates Confraternity).
He explained that moving beyond diagnosis and into action remains challenging.
“We must ask ourselves: How do we transform latent potential into tangible prosperity? How do we build inclusive systems that feed the privileged few and nourish the entire nation economically, socially, and nutritionally?
He noted that the paper seeks to explore these questions while arguing that tackling Hunger in a land of plenty requires increasing production and reforming the policies, structures, and institutional frameworks that continue to exclude, marginalise, and underperform.
“It is a call to reimagine governance and economic participation—to design inclusive policies that advance Nigeria’s Economy.
“Nigeria’s population, now over 220 million, is expected to hit 377 million by 2050, making us the third most populous country globally. Yet, food production growth is not keeping pace. The World Food Programme (2023) estimates that 25 million Nigerians face food insecurity, with over 2 million children acutely malnourished.
“Without inclusive policy reform and the right skills, this trajectory leads to instability, mass urban migration, and deepening inequality. To truly convert potential into prosperity, we must recognise that economic transformation in Nigeria hinges not only on harnessing natural resources but, more critically, on unlocking the productive power of our people.
“Whether in agriculture, manufacturing, technology, creative industries, or services, the common denominator for sustainable progress is the availability of relevant, market-driven skills.
Across the country, millions of young people are entering a rapidly evolving labour market, yet our education and training systems remain largely disconnected from the real economy. This disconnect results in widespread underemployment, reduced productivity, and a cycle of dependency that stifles innovation and growth.
He stressed that addressing this challenge demands a national commitment to skills development as a cornerstone of inclusive policy reform. Empowering individuals with practical, adaptable skills—be it in digital innovation, technical trades, entrepreneurship, green economy sectors,
Nigeria is one of the world’s richest sources of untapped gemstones. But we export raw stones and import jewelry, forfeiting value and jobs.
He stated, “To reverse this, we established the ‘Gemological Institute of Nigeria, complemented by a historic MOU with the ‘Yakubu Gowon University of Abuja’— the ‘first in Africa to offer a formal curriculum in Gemology and Jewelry Design’.
“We aim to build a workforce of skilled gemologists, jewelers, and gemstone entrepreneurs who add value locally and export globally.”
In his remarks, the NAS Capn, Dr Joseph Oteri, said, “We are here to explore how we move beyond survival towards prosperity collectively. With over 40 types of solid minerals scattered across our nation, vast agricultural potential and resilient, creative population, Nigeria has more than enough to thrive.”
In a welcome address, the Sahara Deck Steerer, Chike Onya, said that this year’s theme, “Thriving Beyond Hardship: Growth,” was both timely and significant.
“We find ourselves at a pivotal moment in our nation’s s history where the economic realities confronting us depend not only on reflection but decisive actions,” he promised.
