The Ondo State Government has recorded major gains from the high-level mission of His Excellency, Hon. Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa, to the Headquarters of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO-UN) in Rome, Italy, from 29th to 30th October, 2026, with a strategic side visit to Amsterdam, Netherlands.

The mission, anchored on the Governor’s participation in the global high-level exchange, “Investable Beans: De-risking and Financing Forest-Positive Supply Chains”, and complemented by strategic bilateral engagements with FAO senior management, technical teams and private sector leaders, has positioned Ondo State for expanded international partnerships, investment mobilization and technical cooperation.

Governor Aiyedatiwa showcased Ondo State’s agricultural potential and his administration’s commitment under the OUR EASE Development Agenda to transform the State from primary production into a competitive hub for agribusiness, processing and value addition.

Key highlights of the mission include:

1. Global Stage for Ondo Cocoa: Governor Aiyedatiwa, speaking at the High-Level Reflections session attended by delegates from 19 countries, emphasized the need to pursue increased productivity, forest conservation and improved farmers’ livelihoods as mutually reinforcing objectives. He highlighted the State’s investment in rural security, feeder roads, land access for investors and existing private investments such as Johnvents Industries Limited as evidence of Ondo’s readiness for agro-industrial growth.
2. Engagement with Ferrero Group: The Governor held direct investment talks with the management of Ferrero Group, led by its Group Head of Cocoa Value Chains, Mr. Nicola Somenzi, to explore partnerships for local cocoa processing into liquor, butter and powder, technology transfer, long-term offtake and creation of jobs within the State. Ferrero has expressed willingness to undertake internal consultations and re-engage with the State by end of November 2026, with a potential scoping mission to Ondo State in early 2027.
3. Ondo Agrifood Investment Summit: In a strategic meeting with the FAO Investment Centre, Governor Aiyedatiwa secured commitment for technical support to develop bankable investment cases and organize a results-oriented Ondo State Agrifood Investment Summit. The Summit will be preceded by a joint FAO-Ondo scoping mission to identify priority value chains, assess infrastructure and facilitate targeted investor matchmaking.
4. Green Cities Initiative: The State expressed formal interest in having Akure, the State capital, enlisted into the FAO Green Cities Network, to advance sustainable urban development, urban agriculture, green enterprise and circular economy solutions. The State will now designate a lead institution to commence the application process.
5. Coastal Resilience for Aiyetoro: The Governor highlighted the severe environmental challenges confronting Aiyetoro and other coastal communities in Ilaje Local Government Area due to sea incursion and erosion. The mission explored pathways for technical support and climate finance to develop a comprehensive coastal resilience programme.
6. Strategic Visit to Amsterdam on Coastal Protection: In a related development, Governor Aiyedatiwa also visited Amsterdam in the Netherlands, which shares similar terrain with the coastal areas of Ondo State, to meet with experts and inspect equipment on environmental protection, with particular focus on erosion control, sea incursion and land reclamation.

Aside from the technical inspection, the Governor held meetings with representatives of companies that have shown interest in partnering with the Ondo State Government on land reclamation and sustainable coastal protection solutions for communities in Ilaje and other riverine areas.

The Governor’s meeting with the FAO Deputy Director-General and Director of Cabinet, Mr. Godfrey Magwenzi, reaffirmed the longstanding partnership between FAO and Ondo State and the commitment to deepen cooperation.

To sustain the momentum, Governor Aiyedatiwa is expected to approve the establishment of a joint FAO-Ondo State technical coordination mechanism, authorize formal engagement with investors and initiate processes for the Green Cities application and coastal communites resilience package, including reclamation.

The Ondo State delegation to Rome included Dr. Nifesimi Ogunkua, Climate Change Specialist and FAO Nigeria Team Lead for Climate Change, Environment and Biodiversity; Dr. Paul Oluikpe, Ag. Director, Development Finance Department, Central Bank of Nigeria; Mr. Omolakin Anthony, Administrative Secretary, Ondo State Cocoa Revolution and Management Agency; and Mr. Olusanya Abayomi, Chief of Protocol to the Governor.

Governor Aiyedatiwa reiterates his administration’s determination to attract credible investments, create jobs, retain more value from the State’s agricultural produce and build a climate-resilient economy for the people of Ondo State