By Favour Ulebor, Abuja

The Amahoro Coalition has called on businesses and investors to stop viewing internally displaced persons, IDPs, and refugees as a humanitarian burden and instead see them as a viable workforce capable of driving economic growth, particularly in agriculture and other productive sectors.

The call was made on Thursday in Abuja during the launch of the coalition’s West Africa report on opportunities in displaced communities.

According to the report, Nigeria has about 3.7 million internally displaced persons, although current estimates suggest the actual figure could be closer to seven million. It estimated that displaced people in Nigeria generate about $300 million in annual income despite facing limited access to land, finance and employment opportunities.

The report argued that if displaced populations across Africa had access to the same basic resources available to non displaced communities, the continent could unlock an estimated $2.4 billion opportunity in agriculture, $4.1 billion in entrepreneurship, $3.2 billion in finance, $2.8 billion in manufacturing and $720 million in supply chain activities.

It further identified northern Nigeria as the country’s agricultural heartland and the region with the highest concentration of displaced persons. The report noted that about 56 per cent of farmland in displacement affected communities currently lies uncultivated, creating a major supply gap that businesses can bridge by integrating displaced farmers into existing agricultural value chains.

To achieve this, the coalition recommended expanding outgrower schemes into hard to reach communities, integrating displaced smallholder farmers into off taker networks, engaging them as extension service agents and creating seasonal and permanent farm labour programmes.

Speaking at the event, West Africa Private Sector Partnership Lead of Amahoro Coalition, Mr Fredrick Deegbe, said the organisation works differently from traditional humanitarian agencies by first understanding the business models, growth plans and commercial objectives of private sector organisations before identifying how internally displaced persons and refugees can be integrated into their operations.

He said the coalition works closely with governments, the European Union, the United Nations and refugee agencies to ensure projects are commercially viable while addressing displacement challenges.

According to him, the coalition deliberately focuses on practical solutions rather than abstract statistics, citing ginger production as an example of how a single seedling can significantly improve household income.

He said beyond agriculture, Amahoro is expanding opportunities in digital skills and renewable energy, noting that access to mobile technology and internet connectivity now allows displaced persons to participate in the digital economy.

He also highlighted the coalition’s fellowship programme, which supports innovators across Africa working in areas such as waste to energy, healthcare, food processing and agribusiness, adding that several Nigerian entrepreneurs are already benefiting from the initiative.

Chairman of the Board of AGROLOG Ltd, Mr Manzo Maigari, said insecurity has displaced thousands of experienced farmers whose livelihoods have been destroyed despite their vast agricultural knowledge.

He explained that successful interventions implemented by AGROLOG, including ginger farming support programmes and livestock projects for displaced families in Benue State, have demonstrated that restoring livelihoods through agribusiness is both commercially viable and socially impactful.

He added that the company is now collaborating with Amahoro Coalition and the Bank of Agriculture to expand similar initiatives.

Also speaking, President of the Nigeria Agribusiness Group, Mr Kabiru Ibrahim, said the concept of turning displacement into a business opportunity initially appeared difficult to understand but noted that the evidence presented showed enormous potential.

He urged businesses, especially young entrepreneurs, to recognise opportunities that exist within adversity and contribute to rebuilding livelihoods while growing the economy.

Strategy Custodian for Partnerships at Amahoro Coalition, Mr Tito Mbathi, said the Coalition wants the conversation around displacement to move beyond humanitarian assistance towards investment and sustainable business development.

He said the organisation has established partnerships with institutions including the Bank of Agriculture and the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons to improve access to finance and economic opportunities for displaced communities.

He noted that many displaced people possess decades of farming experience and remain an untapped labour force capable of boosting food production and strengthening agricultural value chains if properly integrated into the private sector.

Amahoro Coalition connects private sector leaders to displacement markets that its analysis identifies as overlooked opportunities.

The organisation provides the research, strategic relationships and on ground presence needed to make commercial engagement in displaced communities practical while creating measurable economic and social impact.

The event brought together government officials, financial institutions, agribusiness leaders and development partners to examine how private sector investment can restore livelihoods while strengthening Nigeria’s economy.