By Iroyin Yoruba Television
The National Information Technology Development Agency has called for the development of integrated digital infrastructure that can expand agricultural extension services and provide millions of Nigerian farmers with timely and reliable information.
NITDA Director-General Kashifu Inuwa made the call in Abuja at the Africa Agribusiness Extension Summit 2026, organised by Extension Africa in partnership with NITDA.
The development represents a renewed push to connect Nigeria's agricultural sector with digital technology and reduce the limitations associated with traditional face-to-face agricultural extension services.
The Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Abubakar Kyari, also advocated increased investment in digital agricultural extension services, saying technology can contribute to the modernisation of farming, improved productivity and stronger food security.
The government's position comes as Nigeria continues to seek ways to improve agricultural output while providing farmers with better access to information, technical guidance and modern farming practices.
NIGERIA SEEKS A NEW APPROACH TO FARMER EXTENSION
Agricultural extension services traditionally involve trained personnel travelling to farming communities to provide advice on production methods, pest management, disease prevention, soil management, harvesting and other aspects of agriculture.
That model remains important, but its reach can be limited by geography, transportation, the number of available extension officers and the large size of Nigeria's farming population.
A farmer in a remote community may not have regular access to an agricultural extension officer.
Even when officers are available, the distance between farming communities can make frequent visits difficult.
Digital technology provides another way to deliver information.
Farmers can potentially receive agricultural advice through mobile phones, digital platforms, messaging services and other technology-enabled systems without waiting for an extension officer to travel to their location.
NITDA's latest call is therefore based on the idea that technology should complement conventional extension systems rather than simply replace them.
WHY DIGITAL EXTENSION MATTERS
Farmers make decisions every day that can affect the success or failure of their crops and livestock.
They need to know when to plant, how to manage pests, how to respond to changing weather conditions and how to use fertiliser appropriately.
Livestock farmers also require information about animal health, feeding, disease prevention and other management practices.
When reliable information reaches farmers too late, the consequences can be serious.
A pest outbreak that is detected early may be manageable.
If farmers receive the information weeks later, significant damage may already have occurred.
Digital systems can potentially shorten the time between the emergence of a problem and the delivery of information to farmers.
This is one of the main reasons technology is becoming increasingly important in agricultural extension.
MOVING BEYOND FACE-TO-FACE SERVICES
NITDA's Director-General said Nigeria could no longer rely solely on conventional face-to-face extension services to meet the needs of the country's growing farming population.
The statement does not mean that extension officers have become unnecessary.
Instead, it reflects the scale of the challenge.
Nigeria has farmers spread across many states and rural communities.
A system based exclusively on physical visits requires a large workforce capable of travelling regularly to those communities.
Digital tools can allow a single extension specialist to communicate information to a much larger number of farmers.
An agricultural expert could, for example, produce a verified advisory message that reaches thousands of farmers simultaneously.
Farmers could also submit questions or information about problems affecting their farms and receive guidance through digital channels.
Such systems can make agricultural knowledge more accessible while allowing physical extension officers to concentrate on situations requiring direct intervention.
THE ROLE OF MOBILE PHONES
Mobile phones are likely to be central to any digital agricultural extension strategy in Nigeria.
Farmers do not necessarily need sophisticated computers to benefit from digital services.
Many already use mobile phones for communication, payments and access to information.
Agricultural platforms could therefore deliver information through channels that farmers already understand.
Text messages can provide short alerts.
Voice services can help farmers who have difficulty reading long messages.
Smartphone applications can offer more detailed information, including images and videos.
Messaging platforms can also create communication channels between farmers and agricultural specialists.
The appropriate technology will depend on the circumstances of each farming community.
A digital extension programme designed exclusively for smartphones could exclude farmers who use basic mobile phones.
An effective national system will therefore need to consider different levels of digital access.
LANGUAGE AND LOCAL CONTEXT
Digital agricultural extension will also need to account for Nigeria's linguistic and cultural diversity.
Information that is technically correct may still fail to help farmers if it is difficult to understand.
Farmers may benefit from agricultural information presented in languages commonly spoken in their communities.
The format also matters.
A long technical document may be less useful to a farmer than a short voice message explaining how to identify a particular crop disease.
Images and simple demonstrations can also help farmers understand technical recommendations.
Digital technology gives agencies the ability to create different versions of the same information for different audiences.
This could make agricultural extension more inclusive.
EARLY WARNING AND FARMER ALERTS
One major opportunity for digital extension is the delivery of early warnings.
Agricultural authorities can use digital channels to inform farmers about potential threats before they become widespread.
Alerts could concern pest outbreaks, livestock diseases, extreme weather, flooding or other conditions capable of damaging agricultural production.
The value of such systems depends on the accuracy and speed of the information.
Farmers need confidence that an alert is genuine and comes from a reliable source.
This makes verification particularly important.
Digital platforms should therefore be connected to credible agricultural institutions and professional experts.
IMPROVING FOOD SECURITY
The push for digital agricultural extension is closely connected to Nigeria's food-security objectives.
Increasing agricultural production is not simply a question of putting more land under cultivation.
Farmers also need access to knowledge that can help them improve yields and reduce losses.
Better information can help farmers make more informed decisions about planting, crop protection, harvesting and storage.
Digital systems can also potentially connect farmers with information about markets and agricultural inputs.
When combined with other agricultural reforms, technology could therefore contribute to a more efficient food-production system.
However, technology alone cannot solve Nigeria's food-security challenges.
Farmers still need access to land, finance, inputs, irrigation, roads, storage facilities and functioning markets.
Digital extension should be viewed as one component of a broader agricultural development strategy.
THE AGRICULTURE MINISTRY SUPPORTS GREATER INVESTMENT
Agriculture Minister Abubakar Kyari also called for increased investment in digital agricultural extension services.
His support demonstrates that the push is not limited to the technology sector.
Agricultural authorities recognise that digital systems can support the broader effort to modernise farming.
For technology agencies such as NITDA, this creates an opportunity to work more closely with agricultural institutions.
The technology sector can provide infrastructure and digital expertise, while agricultural specialists provide the knowledge that farmers need.
The combination is important because a sophisticated digital platform is of little value if the information delivered through it is inaccurate or unsuitable for farmers.
BUILDING THE RIGHT DIGITAL INFRASTRUCTURE
NITDA's call for integrated digital infrastructure is significant because digital agricultural services require more than individual applications.
A farmer-facing platform needs reliable connectivity, data systems, communication channels and technical support.
Government agencies may also need systems that allow agricultural information to be shared efficiently between national, state and local institutions.
Integration can reduce duplication and improve the consistency of information reaching farmers.
It could also allow authorities to build a stronger understanding of agricultural conditions across different parts of the country.
For example, information collected through digital extension systems could help authorities identify areas where particular agricultural problems are emerging.
That information could then support faster interventions.
CONNECTIVITY REMAINS A CHALLENGE
One of the biggest obstacles to digital agricultural extension is connectivity.
Many farmers operate in rural areas where Internet access may be weaker or more expensive than in major cities.
Electricity availability can also affect the ability of farmers to charge devices and maintain regular digital access.
A digital agricultural strategy must therefore account for the realities of rural communities.
Services should not depend entirely on high-speed Internet.
Offline functionality, SMS, voice services and other low-bandwidth options could help extend coverage.
Infrastructure investment will remain essential if digital agricultural services are expected to reach farmers across the country rather than primarily serving farmers in better-connected communities.
DIGITAL LITERACY IS ALSO IMPORTANT
Access to technology does not automatically mean that people can use it effectively.
Some farmers may require training to use agricultural applications and digital platforms.
Extension programmes could therefore incorporate basic digital-literacy support.
Farmers could be shown how to access verified information, submit questions, identify official government platforms and avoid fraudulent agricultural messages.
This is particularly important because misinformation can spread quickly through digital networks.
A farmer who receives incorrect information about pesticides, animal treatment or planting practices could suffer financial losses.
Digital agricultural extension must therefore place a strong emphasis on accuracy and verification.
PROTECTING FARMERS FROM MISINFORMATION
The expansion of digital agricultural information also creates a responsibility to prevent misinformation.
Farmers may encounter unverified claims through social media, messaging groups or other online platforms.
Some information may be harmless, while other claims could result in serious financial or agricultural damage.
Official digital extension platforms can provide farmers with trusted alternatives.
Clear identification of authorised sources can help farmers distinguish government or professional agricultural advice from unverified online claims.
The system could also provide mechanisms for farmers to report questionable information or ask experts whether a particular recommendation is safe.
OPPORTUNITY FOR YOUNG TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPERS
The move toward digital agriculture could create opportunities for Nigerian technology companies and young developers.
Agriculture presents numerous problems that technology could help address.
These include farmer advisory services, market information, logistics, weather information, crop monitoring, livestock management and agricultural finance.
Local developers have an advantage in understanding the realities of Nigerian farmers.
They can build products around local languages, farming practices and connectivity conditions.
Partnerships between technology companies, government agencies, universities and agricultural organisations could accelerate innovation in this area.
DATA COULD IMPROVE AGRICULTURAL PLANNING
Digital extension systems could also generate useful agricultural data.
Information collected from farmers can help authorities understand emerging needs and identify areas requiring support.
However, data collection must be handled responsibly.
Farmers should understand what information is being collected and how it will be used.
Appropriate privacy and security measures will be necessary to protect personal and commercial information.
The goal should be to use data to improve agricultural services without creating unnecessary risks for farmers.
TECHNOLOGY SHOULD COMPLEMENT HUMAN EXPERTISE
One of the most important principles behind digital extension should be that technology complements agricultural professionals.
An application can provide general information, but some agricultural problems require direct assessment.
A crop disease may have different causes that cannot be accurately diagnosed from a short text description.
A livestock emergency may require physical examination by a veterinary professional.
Digital tools can help farmers identify potential problems and connect them with specialists, but they should not encourage farmers to treat serious agricultural or animal-health problems without appropriate expert guidance.
A balanced system can combine digital accessibility with professional intervention.
REACHING MILLIONS OF FARMERS
The central objective of NITDA's proposal is scale.
Nigeria needs agricultural extension systems capable of reaching a very large farming population.
Digital communication provides a way to expand that reach without requiring every farmer to wait for a physical visit from an extension officer.
If properly designed, one verified agricultural advisory could reach farmers across multiple states within minutes.
The same infrastructure could be used to distribute emergency warnings, seasonal guidance and information about government agricultural programmes.
That potential makes digital extension an important technology priority for the agricultural sector.
WHAT SUCCESS WOULD LOOK LIKE
A successful digital agricultural extension programme would ultimately be measured by outcomes rather than the number of applications launched.
The key question would be whether farmers receive useful information at the right time and whether that information contributes to better agricultural decisions.
Success could include improved productivity, reduced crop losses, better disease management and stronger access to agricultural services.
Farmers should also find the systems easy to use.
If a platform is technically impressive but difficult for farmers to navigate, its impact will remain limited.
Technology must therefore be designed around users rather than around the preferences of developers or institutions.
THE ROAD AHEAD
NITDA's call at the Africa Agribusiness Extension Summit places digital infrastructure firmly within the conversation about Nigeria's agricultural future.
The government's approach suggests that agricultural modernisation will increasingly involve cooperation between technology agencies and agricultural institutions.
Such cooperation could create new ways of delivering knowledge to farmers, particularly in communities where conventional extension services struggle to maintain regular contact.
The challenge will be implementation.
Nigeria will need investment in connectivity, digital skills, reliable platforms, agricultural data systems and professional support.
It will also need policies that encourage innovation while protecting farmers from misinformation and misuse of their data.
CONCLUSION
Nigeria's agricultural sector is being challenged to make greater use of technology as the country seeks to improve productivity and strengthen food security.
The National Information Technology Development Agency has called for integrated digital infrastructure capable of expanding agricultural extension services and delivering timely information to millions of farmers.
Agriculture Minister Abubakar Kyari has similarly advocated increased investment in digital agricultural extension.
The push reflects recognition that conventional face-to-face extension services alone may not be sufficient to serve Nigeria's large and geographically dispersed farming population.
Mobile phones, digital platforms, voice services and other technologies could help bridge some of the information gaps between agricultural experts and farmers.
But the success of digital agriculture will depend on more than technology.
Farmers need reliable connectivity, affordable access, understandable information and trustworthy sources.
They also need access to human experts when problems require professional intervention.
If those elements are combined effectively, digital agricultural extension could become an important tool for improving how Nigerian farmers receive knowledge and make decisions.
The broader objective is not to replace the agricultural extension officer with a smartphone.
It is to give extension officers and farmers better tools for communicating, responding to problems and sharing knowledge.
For a country seeking to strengthen food production while modernising its economy, that combination of human expertise and digital technology could become increasingly important in the years ahead.