Monday, October 27, 2025
25.9 C
Lagos

1st Nutrition Africa Investor Forum Targets Private Sector Food Industry

The Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN)- an international organisation founded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and driven by the mission of a world without malnutrition- is hosting the first-ever Nutrition Africa Investor Forum (NAIF) in Nairobi, Kenya, on October 16-17, to invite and engage private sector investors to play a key role in improving nutrition across Africa.

The event is hosted in partnership with Royal DSM, a purpose-led global science-based company in nutrition, health and sustainable living recognized for its global fight against malnutrition, the SUN Business Network and African Business magazine.

The Nutrition Africa Investor Forum will highlight business opportunities in a largely underdeveloped market. From farm to fork, nutrient gaps in diets within low and middle-income markets constitute a largely untapped market worth USD$120bn.

According to a recent study, no African country is expected to reach the UN target of ending childhood malnutrition by 2030.  In fact, malnutrition indicators remain “persistently high” in 14 countries, stretching across from Sahel from Senegal in the west to Eritrea in the east.
This challenge needs to be addressed. GAIN argues engaging the private sector is key in addressing this issue. Nutrition-sensitive capital investments along the entire food value chain are critical to drive better availability, access, affordability — and finally — consumption of nutritious foods.
GAIN works with nearly 1,000 companies across the food value chain in Africa, but many of these cite access to capital as a challenge. At the Forum, experts will present a number of viable investment opportunities from these enterprises to venture capital funds, private equity groups, finance institutions, foundations and impact investors.

The forum will showcase current and future investment potential for nutritious foods in Africa. There will also be an opportunity for the private sector and investors to discuss key challenges and discuss opportunities for unlocking greater investment in nutrition market with the instruments and vehicles that are currently available and those under development.
Lawrence Haddad, GAIN’s Executive Director, says:

“One in three people in the world suffers from some form of malnutrition. Moreover, poor diet is the number one risk factor in the global burden of disease. We believe in the enormous potential of national food businesses in Africa to address this challenge by producing more affordable, nutritious foods. However, for this to happen, new private investments must be unlocked for SMEs along with new policy and lending instruments. We’re aiming to help bridge this gap.”
Fokko Wientjes, Vice President, Malnutrition Programs & Partnerships Royal DSM and member of the SUN Business Network Executive Committee, added:

‘Nutrition is the new asset class of a dynamic African food industry. Businesses, governments and investors don’t just have a moral case for investing in nutrition – they now have a business case too. Businesses in Africa adapt their approach as governments and consumers increasingly demand access to safe, affordable nutritious foods. Smart companies and investors will start building now the African food industry of the future, serving the African consumer of the future.’

spot_img
spot_img
spot_img

Hot this week

Access Holdings Reports ₦2.5tn Gross Earnings in H1 2025

Access Holdings Plc has announced its half-year audited financial...

CBN Welcomes Nigeria’s Removal from FATF Grey List

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) welcomes the Financial...

Tinubu Sacks Service Chiefs

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has sacked the service chiefs...

Equity Trading on Nigerian Exchange Surges 115% as Reforms Draw Foreign, Domestic Investors

Transactions by domestic and foreign investors on Nigerian Exchange...

Stanbic IBTC Insurance Unveils Manifold Endowment Plan to Stakeholders at Media Engagement

L-R: Akinjide Orimolade, Chief Executive, Stanbic IBTC Insurance; Wole...

Topics

SMEDAN: 100 Small Businesses for 2022 MSME Fair in Lagos

Mr. Olawale Fasanya Director-General SMEDAN Over one hundred micro small and medium...

NGX Group Chair, Umaru Kwairanga, Leads Industry Delegation to South Korea

Dr. Umaru Kwairanga, Group Chairman, Nigerian Exchange Group (NGX)...

NSE Unveils Composition of New Market Indices July 1

The Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) will unveil the composition of new market indices on Wednesday, July 1, 2015. This follows the results of the bi-annual review for The NSE 30 and the five sectoral indices of The Exchange - The NSE Banking, The NSE Consumer Goods, The NSE Oil & Gas, The NSE Industrial and The NSE Insurance. The Nigerian bourse began publishing The NSE 30 Index in February 2009 with index values available from January 1, 2007. On July 1, 2008, the NSE developed four sectoral indices with a base value of 1,000 points, designed to provide investable benchmarks to capture the performance of specific sectors. The sectoral indices comprise of the top 10 most capitalised and liquid companies in the Banking, Insurance and Food/Beverage & Tobacco (now Consumer Goods) sectors and the top five most capitalised and liquid companies in the Oil & Gas (Petroleum Marketing) sector.

IDC Forms Council to Drive Tech, Innovation in Gulf Region

International Data Corporation (IDC) yesterday formally announced the formation...

BUHARINOMICS: Charting Path to Sustainable Economic Renaissance

The presidential election was over on Saturday, March 28, 2015. It is now a historical document for academic research and street political analysis. On March 28, CHANGE triumphed over TRANSFORMATION AGENDA, leading to the emergence of General Muhammadu Buhari as President-Elect, Federal Republic of Nigeria. On May 29, Buhari will assume the leadership of the nation, bringing to an end, the regime of Goodluck Jonathan. For Buhari, it is a long road to Aso Rock. Three times he contested and lost. And three times he dusted the stinking ashes of defeat to rise again to seek for the same office. And on the fourth effort, he won. Either fortune smiled on him or the Gods took pity on him and handed him the office to break the cycle of defeat and save him from the poisoned pen of harsh historians and political propagandists.

AMCON to Disengage Non-performing AMPs over N740bn Debt

Mr. Ahmed Kuru, Managing Director/CEO, Asset Management Corporation of...

Our Transformation Story

Today is an indelible Day of History for Business Journal. It marks the effective and successful transformation of Business Journal from a monthly business magazine to a weekly business/ financial newspaper. Indeed, we have come a long way from birth in May 2008 as a monthly magazine to what we are today as a weekly newspaper. It has been a divine journey anchored on Professionalism, Enterprise, and Freedom. It is also driven by our resilience and dogged commitment to achieving our overarching dream of advancing the cause of business/financial journalism in Nigeria.

Ardova Commends Stanbic IBTC’s Support for LPG Storage Project

AP LPG terminal, a fully owned subsidiary of Ardova...
spot_img

Related Articles

Popular Categories

spot_imgspot_img