*Photo: Prof. John Alaba Olumurewa*
A Professor of Food and Bioresource Engineering at the Federal University of Technology, Akure FUTA, Engr. Prof. John Alaba Olumurewa, has called for urgent and sustained investment in home-grown technologies for food processing and preservation, warning that the neglect of indigenous technological solutions poses a serious threat to Nigeria’s food security.
Prof. Olumurewa made the call while delivering the 205th Inaugural Lecture of the University, titled “Undermining the Home-Grown Technologies of Processing and Preservation: Playing Poker with Food Security,” on Wednesday, August 26, 2026.
According to him, ” Nigeria must stop “playing poker ” with food security issues but rather invest boldly in our scientists , trust our engineers, commercialize our research , patronize our home grown technologies and implement our policies with consistency and courage. Only then shall we transform food security from a national inspiration into a national reality.” He stated that every abandoned prototype, unused locally fabricated machine, uncommercialized research project and food-processing facility without adequate infrastructure represents a lost opportunity.
Drawing from decades of research in food processing, preservation, drying technology, predictive modelling, renewable energy, value addition and post-harvest management, the Professor argued that Nigeria’s food security challenge is no longer primarily a lack of scientific knowledge. Rather, the major problem is the failure to translate research outputs into practical, commercially viable and widely deployed technologies.
Prof. Olumurewa explained that food security goes beyond food production and rests on four major pillars: availability, accessibility, utilization and stability. He stressed that food processing and preservation are critical to these pillars because they reduce post-harvest losses, improve food safety and quality, extend shelf life and facilitate value addition.
He described food engineering as the application of mathematics, physics, chemistry and biological sciences to food processing, preservation, packaging, storage and utilization, noting its potential to improve efficiency, productivity and food security.
The inaugural lecturer identified indigenous technologies as strategic national assets capable of reducing dependence on imported machinery, conserving foreign exchange, creating employment and lowering production costs. He, however, lamented the widespread perception that imported technologies are superior, noting that locally developed innovations are often subjected to excessive scrutiny while entrepreneurs and financial institutions remain reluctant to invest in them.
According to him, this has created a vicious cycle of poor patronage, inadequate investment, weak commercialization and declining confidence in Nigerian technologies.
To close Nigeria’s technology implementation gap, the Professor proposed a ten-point strategic pathway comprising consistent policy implementation; increased research and development funding; institutionalized university-industry collaboration; prioritization of qualified indigenous technologies in public procurement; stronger technology incubation infrastructure; repositioning universities as investment partners; increased industrial investment; innovation-friendly financing; purpose-driven academic research; and greater public confidence and patronage of Nigerian technologies.
He stressed that research funding must be increased and promising innovations moved from laboratories into the marketplace. He also called for stronger university-industry partnerships and technology incubation systems to facilitate the transition from prototypes to commercially viable products.
Prof. Olumurewa emphasized that food security is a collective responsibility involving government, academia, industry, financial institutions and citizens. He urged government to provide consistent policies and patronize qualified indigenous technologies; universities to pursue research that addresses real societal challenges; industries to invest in and scale local innovations; financial institutions to provide appropriate funding; and citizens to support validated Nigerian technologies.
He concluded that Nigeria possesses the scientific and engineering capacity required to achieve greater food security; what is urgently needed is the political will, investment, collaboration and confidence to transform that knowledge into technologies that serve society and drive national development.
In her remarks, the Vice-Chancellor of FUTA, Prof. Adenike Oladiji, described the inaugural lecture as timely and highly relevant to Nigeria’s current development challenges. She commended Prof. Olumurewa for bringing his wealth of research experience to bear on an issue that directly affects the wellbeing of Nigerians and the nation’s economic future.
Prof. Oladiji noted that the subject of food security was particularly important because food is fundamental to human survival and national development. She said the lecture had successfully drawn attention to the critical role of technology in ensuring that agricultural production translates into food availability, affordability, safety and sustainability.