The Chief Executive Officer of Davidorlah Nigeria Limited and Founder of Davidorlah Farms, Segun Alabi 0n Wednesday, made a strong case for a structural shift in Africa’s agricultural model, warning that the continent must urgently move from exporting raw materials to building value-driven industries.
Alabi, who gave the warning while addressing National Assembly correspondents, said, “Today, I stand before you not just as a business leader, but as a voice for a continent that has given so much to the world… yet received so little in return. Africa is rich.
“Nigeria is rich. Yet our people are struggling. And the question is simple: How can a continent so blessed remain economically constrained?” he said.
He attributed this contradiction to decades of exporting unprocessed agricultural produce, a practice he said has deprived the continent of jobs, revenue and industrial growth.
“For decades, we have exported our wealth in its rawest form. We grow the crops. We harvest the fruits. We ship them out. And then… We import them back – processed, packaged, and priced higher.
“We export raw materials. We import finished products. We export jobs. We import unemployment. It is a structural problem affecting our future,” he stated.
Alabi stressed that every unit of raw produce shipped abroad represents lost economic value that could have been retained locally.
“Every pineapple exported raw is a missed opportunity: Missed jobs, missed revenue, missed industrial growth. We are not poor because we lack resources. We are poor because we have not captured value,” he said.
Illustrating his point, he highlighted the economic potential embedded in a single agricultural product.
“Let me give you one simple example: A single pineapple. Sold raw → $3-$5 or #3000 – #5000. But when processed into: Juice concentrate, Dried fruit, Pharmaceutical-grade bromelain. That same pineapple can generate 5x to 10x more value. Now imagine this at scale… This is not farming. This is industrial wealth creation,” he explained.
According to him, this realisation informed the creation of Davidorlah Nigeria Limited, which he described as an integrated agro-industrial platform rather than a conventional farming enterprise.
“This is why we founded Davidorlah Nigeria Limited. Not as a farm. Not as a land business. But as a fully integrated agro-industrial platform. Our mission is clear: Build large-scale pineapple production, develop processing capacity, Export high-value products to global markets,” he said.
He added that the model is designed to benefit multiple stakeholders across the value chain while strengthening the broader economy.
“We are creating a system where: Farmers earn more, Investors gain returns, Nigeria earns foreign exchange, Africa builds industrial strength. We are moving from: Agriculture as survival to Agriculture as an industry,” he said.
Alabi noted that if properly implemented, such a model could have far-reaching implications for Nigeria and the African continent.
“If we get this right: We create thousands of jobs, We increase GDP significantly, We reduce import dependency, We attract foreign investment, We reduce migration pressure on youth. This is not just business. This is nation-building,” he added.
He called on government at all levels to provide policy support that would enable agro-industrial ventures to thrive.
“To our government leaders: We need policies that support: Agro-processing infrastructure, Export facilitation, Access to financing. Support companies like Davidorlah, Real Fruit, and other indigenous companies and you are not supporting a business… You are supporting economic transformation and a movement,” he said.
Turning to investors, Alabi emphasised that the future of agriculture lies beyond primary production.
“To investors – both local and global: The future of agriculture is not in raw production. It is in the value chain processing and export. Davidorlah offers an opportunity to be part of: A scalable agro-industrial platform, A high-growth export business, A solution to Africa’s economic challenge.
“This is not just an investment. This is participation in a movement, Nigeria is the giant of Africa, investing in Nigeria is investing in an economy that has a future, and the future is now,” he said.
He also delivered a message to the global community, asserting that Africa is redefining its role in the global economy.
“To the world: Africa is no longer just a source of raw materials. Africa is rising as a value creator, and companies like Davidorlah are leading that transformation.
“The time has come. To stop exporting our future. To stop exporting our jobs. To stop exporting our wealth. The time has come to: process, produce and prosper,” he stated.
Alabi concluded by positioning his company as a symbol of innovation and forward-thinking within the agricultural sector.
“Davidorlah is not just a company. It is a symbol of what is possible when vision meets execution, and this is ‘AI’ ‘AGRICULTURAL INTELLIGENCE’. ‘Africa is not poor — Africa has simply been exporting its wealth in raw form. The future belongs to those who process it,” he added.
