…And Directly Support Federal Government Priorities

By Adetola Emmanuel Lamidi Continuous Improvement Manager, Reser’s Fine Foods (USA) | M.Sc. Agricultural Economics, Kansas State University | B. Tech Agricultural Resources & Economics, Federal University of Technology Akure (FUTA).

The Federal Government of Nigeria, under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, has placed food security, agricultural modernization, and industrial growth at the very heart of national development. Key initiatives include:

The National Agricultural Technology and Innovation Policy (NATIP 2022–2027) targeting 35% increase in agro-processing capacity.

The Nigeria Postharvest Systems Transformation Programme (NiPHaST) a $3.5 billion, decade-long partnership with AfDB and other donors to slash the $10 billion annual post-harvest losses

The Zero Hunger Nigeria roadmap aligned with SDG 2

The Food Security and Agricultural Export Programme under the Economic Sustainability Plan

Active support for private-sector productivity through the Bank of Industry (BOI), SMEDAN, and MAN collaboration programmes

These are not distant dreams  they are funded, time-bound national priorities that require immediate action from every player in the food value chain, especially manufacturers.

The single most powerful, fastest, and lowest-cost tool available today to help factories deliver on these government targets is continuous improvement (CI) a structured, team-driven methodology that eliminates waste, raises quality, and increases output using the people and resources already inside the plant.

I lead continuous improvement initiatives daily at one of America’s largest prepared-foods manufacturers (over $2 billion revenue, 12 plants nationwide), delivering results that directly mirror what Nigeria needs right now. The exact same tools and approaches can be deployed in any Nigerian factory  from Dangote, BUA, and Nestlé to medium-sized indigenous processors in Aba, Onitsha, Kano, or Ikorodu  and produce measurable progress in weeks, not years.

Here is exactly how continuous improvement aligns with and accelerates federal government priorities:

Drastically cuts post-harvest and processing losses (NiPHaST & NATIP priority) By mapping material flow, measuring losses at each stage, and making small adjustments (better sequencing, tighter temperature bands, faster transfer), factories routinely recover 10–25% of raw material that would otherwise be wasted (FAO & GIZ case studies across Africa, 2022–2024). This directly reduces the $10 billion annual loss the government is targeting.

Strengthens food safety and NAFDAC compliance (Zero Hunger & public health goal) Standardised visual controls, cleaning checklists, and low-cost sieves/magnets reduce foreign-object incidents by 70–90% (World Bank food-safety benchmarking, 2023). Switching to verified printed labelling eliminates handwriting errors that trigger sanctions and recalls.

Boosts processing capacity and export readiness (NATIP 35% target & AfCFTA) Focused “kaizen” events cut changeover times from 45–60 minutes to under 15 minutes, increasing effective line capacity by 20–40% without buying new machines  exactly the kind of low-capital productivity leap the government wants to see.

Lowers operating costs and improves energy efficiency (Renewed Hope industrial competitiveness) Identifying and removing unnecessary generator runtime, excess packaging, or over-use of water/compressed air delivers immediate cash savings that improve margins and make Nigerian products more competitive regionally.

Creates sustainable jobs and skills (Youth employment focus) CI empowers shop-floor workers to solve problems and own results, building a skilled, motivated workforce that stays  supporting the government’s drive for decent industrial jobs.

Real-world benchmarks from Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) members and UNIDO-assisted plants show factories that adopt CI achieve 15–40% higher productivity and 20–50% fewer defects within 12–24 months.

Starting is deliberately simple and fully compatible with existing government support programmes:

Choose one high-loss line or persistent quality issue

Form a 6–8 person cross-functional team (operators, supervisors, QA, maintenance)

Run a structured 3–5-day improvement workshop (kaizen)

Implement, standardise, and follow up daily for 30–90 days

Training (Yellow Belt/Green Belt) is available through MAN, SMEDAN centers, BOI-funded programmes, or reputable Lagos/Abuja providers at modest cost. Many tools  whiteboards, timers, basic Excel dashboards are already in the factory.

When Nigerian manufacturers actively embrace continuous improvement, they are not just improving their own bottom line  they are becoming direct partners in delivering President Tinubu’s vision of food security, industrial growth, and economic resilience.

The policies are in place. The funding windows are open. The expertise is proven and ready. All that is needed now is for factory owners and managers to take the first step.

Together, we can make Nigeria not only food-sufficient, but a continental food-processing champion.