By JKNewsMedia
TRACTION BUILDS across Africa’s agrarian sector as Agriculture Summit Africa (ASA) 2025 prepares to convene under the bold theme “Survival of the Greenest: Reclaiming Africa’s Food Destiny.”
The event, set for 6–7 November 2025 at the Transcorp Hilton, Abuja, will bring together the continent’s leading voices in agriculture, finance, policy, and innovation to accelerate Africa’s transition towards sustainable food security and green economic growth.
Now in its eighth year and convened by Sterling Bank, the summit continues to serve as a premier platform for advancing inclusive agricultural transformation across Africa.
The 2025 edition aims to highlight pathways for sustainable financing, technological innovation, and policy collaboration to unlock the continent’s vast agricultural potential.
Abubakar Suleiman, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Sterling Bank, reaffirmed the institution’s commitment to driving agricultural progress through strategic partnerships.
“At Sterling, we believe Africa’s food future will be secured not by chance but by deliberate, collective effort,” he stated during a press briefing announcing the summit.
“Our commitment is rooted in the conviction that agriculture is central to Africa’s transformation, socially, economically, and environmentally.
“ASA 2025 is a platform that has galvanised this transformation by uniting policymakers, innovators, and investors around one shared goal: reclaiming Africa’s food destiny through sustainability and innovation.”
With more than 60 percent of the world’s uncultivated arable land and a rapidly growing population, Africa possesses enormous potential to become a global agricultural powerhouse.
Yet the continent continues to grapple with productivity constraints, limited access to finance, and the escalating impacts of climate change.
ASA 2025 will confront these challenges head-on, focusing on actionable solutions that link innovation with investment and foster collaboration between the public and private sectors.
According to Olushola Obikanye, Group Head, Agric Finance and Solid Minerals at Sterling Bank, the theme “Survival of the Greenest” reflects both urgency and opportunity in Africa’s agricultural landscape.
“Africa’s food future lies in sustainability, innovation, and collaboration. ASA provides a platform where governments, financiers, innovators, and farmers can engage meaningfully to design solutions that strengthen agricultural value chains, unlock financing, and foster inclusion.
“Agriculture is not just an economic imperative; it is the heartbeat of Africa’s transformation,” he said.
The two-day summit will draw participants from more than 30 African countries, creating a cross-continental forum for dialogue, deal-making, and knowledge exchange.
Delegates will include government representatives, investors, agribusiness executives, and innovators who will explore how climate-smart practices, green finance, and digital solutions can accelerate the continent’s food resilience.
The event will also feature keynote sessions, policy dialogues, expert panels, and an Investment Deal Room, a marketplace designed to connect investors with promising agribusiness ventures.
It will also include exhibitions showcasing the latest innovations in agricultural technology, processing, and sustainability.
Sunbeth Global Concepts, a leading agro-commodities sourcing and trading company, will co-convene the summit. The company brings extensive experience in agribusiness strategy, capacity building, and development partnerships to the platform.
Eyitemi Adebowale, Head of Corporate Affairs and Communications at Sunbeth, said the partnership aligns with the organisation’s mission to promote sustainable agricultural growth.
“We are proud to co-convene ASA 2025 because we believe the future of Africa’s development is rooted in sustainable agriculture.
“Through this summit, we aim to spotlight solutions that empower farmers, attract investment, and promote climate-smart practices that build resilience across the continent,” she noted.
ASA 2025’s strategic partners include Mastercard, which will lead sessions on digital tools for agricultural transformation and financial inclusion.
Other major sponsors and collaborators include the International Finance Corporation (IFC), The Alternative Bank, Arzikin Noma, ONE Foundation, Noor Takaful, and Bühler. Together, these organisations will contribute expertise spanning agri-finance, policy design, sustainability, and technology adoption.
Since its inception, Agriculture Summit Africa has positioned itself as a catalyst for practical action within Africa’s agricultural ecosystem.
The platform has consistently provided opportunities for stakeholders to engage, collaborate, and implement solutions that bridge gaps between smallholder farmers, policymakers, and financial institutions.
Over the years, the summit has generated measurable impact, from inspiring youth participation in agribusiness to fostering partnerships that have improved access to finance for small-scale producers.
ASA 2025 will further expand this impact by addressing the urgent need for innovative financing mechanisms capable of supporting climate adaptation, sustainable value chains, and inclusive growth.
Discussions are expected to centre on agricultural insurance, blended finance, digital lending, and alternative investment models that can help de-risk the sector and attract private capital.
Sterling Bank’s leadership through ASA reflects its long-standing focus on agriculture as one of its five strategic pillars, alongside Health, Education, Renewable Energy, and Transportation, collectively known as the Bank’s HEART strategy.
Under this framework, Sterling Bank continues to promote projects and partnerships that link financial innovation to sustainable development outcomes.
As part of its broader mission, the Bank has consistently supported agricultural enterprises, agritech innovations, and green initiatives that align with national and continental goals for food security and job creation.
The institution’s approach integrates environmental sustainability with economic viability, advancing initiatives that empower smallholders, enhance productivity, and strengthen food systems across Africa.
Through ASA 2025, Sterling Bank aims to consolidate eight years of continuous advocacy for a more resilient agricultural future.
The event’s design reflects an understanding that the continent’s agricultural transformation depends on connecting ideas to capital, policies to action, and farmers to markets.
Participants at the 2025 edition will engage with thought leaders and policymakers to explore emerging trends in agri-finance, digitalisation, and climate-smart agriculture.
The summit’s Deal Room will serve as a central platform for mobilising investment toward scalable agricultural projects that can strengthen supply chains and promote regional trade integration.
Beyond investment facilitation, ASA 2025 will also emphasise capacity development, especially for youth and women in agribusiness.
By showcasing innovative models for financing, education, and technology adoption, the event will reinforce agriculture as a viable career and business frontier for Africa’s next generation.
For Sterling Bank and its partners, the forthcoming edition of ASA represents a reaffirmation of commitment to Africa’s food security and environmental sustainability.
The collaborative framework of the summit continues to demonstrate that sustainable agriculture is both an economic driver and a strategic imperative for the continent’s future.
As preparations intensify, organisers say the 2025 summit is set to build on the achievements of previous editions while charting new directions for policy, finance, and innovation.
Delegates are expected to leave with practical insights, strategic partnerships, and renewed motivation to advance Africa’s agricultural transformation agenda.
