The Nigeria Soybean Stakeholders Coalition aims to boost the country’s protein sufficiency by increasing soybean usage in livestock and human diets to 80%.
During the coalition’s inauguration in Lagos, Chairman, Dr. Joe Dada emphasized the importance of enhancing soybean’s role across sectors to address Nigeria’s nutritional deficiencies, according to The Punch.
Dr. Dada expressed the coalition’s dedication to promoting protein sufficiency in Nigeria by emphasizing the increased use of soybeans to tackle the country’s nutritional challenges.
“For livestock, we’re already at 60 per cent usage, but our goal is to reach 90 per cent. For human nutrition, we aim to increase from the current 20 per cent to 80 per cent,” he stated.
He highlighted that soybeans, often seen only as livestock feed, have diverse applications in food products suitable for all age groups.
“Soybeans have over 357 uses, from baby food to confectioneries and even adult food,” he explained.
According to Dada, soybean oil is often highlighted for its potential health benefits, particularly in relation to cholesterol levels. It contains polyunsaturated fats, including omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, which can help improve lipid profiles by reducing LDL (bad) cholesterol and increasing HDL (good) cholesterol.
The NSSC’s collaboration with the federal government aims to tackle key challenges in soybean production, such as low crop yields and importation bottlenecks. By pooling resources and expertise, they hope to enhance agricultural practices, improve supply chain efficiency, and ultimately boost domestic production.
“The government is interested because there’s a known protein deficiency in Nigeria,” Dada asserted, adding that initiatives such as the ‘one egg a day’ program for schoolchildren underscore this need.
The government also views the initiative as a path to job creation, expecting that boosting soybean production will have a multiplier effect on employment, especially in agriculture and processing.
The Country Lead of the US Soybean Export Council for Nigeria and Sub-Saharan Africa, Foluso Alabi, affirmed that soybean could be a “game changer” in addressing malnutrition in the country.
“We have about 51 per cent malnutrition in the northern part of Nigeria,” Alabi remarked. “Soybean can provide affordable protein, bringing soy-based foods like soy milk and soy-garri to households nationwide.”
Alabi noted that the coalition’s agenda aligns with the federal government’s goal of enhancing food security and achieving zero hunger, one of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.
“When a person is well-fed, they are more productive. Soybeans are reliable in providing energy and nutrition, and we are also looking to introduce them into industrial applications,” he added, pointing to US advancements in soybean-based biofuels as a future target for Nigeria.
The Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Livestock Development, Dr Chinyere Akujobi, represented by Dr Modupe Hambolu expressed strong government support for the coalition’s objectives, emphasizing the importance of collaboration in overcoming challenges in soybean production.
“We expect the NSSC to open up the soy value chain and to create more awareness among Nigerians about the benefits of soybeans,” Akujobi declared as she emphasised that soybean production would play a key role in meeting Nigeria’s nutritional and food security goals.
