As agro real estate continues to emerge as a critical intersection between agriculture, infrastructure, and investment in Africa, the African Agro Real Estate Development Summit (AAREDS) is set to convene policymakers, institutional leaders, traditional authorities, and private sector innovators at the Balmoral Sheraton convention center, Lagos.
The summit is designed as a high-level industry forum addressing how agricultural land development can be structured, regulated, financed, and scaled responsibly across Africa.
Key policy conversations at AAREDS will include insights from Rt. Hon. Bello Kaoje, Chairman of the House Committee on Agricultural Production & Services, whose legislative oversight plays a central role in shaping Nigeria’s agricultural development framework. He will be joined by Hon. Abisola Olusanya, Commissioner for Agriculture & Food Systems in Lagos State, and Engr. Olaleye Akinola, Honourable Commissioner for Agriculture & Forestry in Ondo State, both of whom are actively involved in state-level agricultural transformation and land-use strategy.
Reviewing scalable agro real estate models
AAREDS will examine the realities behind large-scale agro real estate developments, including discussions on the infrastructure, governance, and investment logic required to support 1,000-hectare agro-smart city concepts. These discussions are positioned to move beyond theory, focusing instead on execution models that can attract institutional capital while remaining aligned with food security and land governance priorities.
Industry innovation perspectives will be shaped by Mr. Nick Spysznyk, CEO of BEM Group (UK), alongside Nigerian private sector leaders such as Rotimi Ojamamoye, Group Managing Director of Assetrise Limited, and Emmanuel Akintoye, President of BRG, who are actively engaged in land development, agribusiness structuring, and investment-led agricultural models.
Traditional institutions, market legitimacy, and land governance
Recognizing the central role of traditional institutions in land administration, AAREDS will also incorporate leadership perspectives from Oba Olufolarin Olukoyode, the Alara of Ilara, to highlight the importance of aligning customary land ownership with modern agro-real estate frameworks.
From an industry-wide coordination standpoint, HRM Akintoye Adeoye, President of the Real Estate Developers Association of Nigeria (REDAN), and Hon. Waliu Olayiwola Taiwo, Chairman of the Ogun State Agricultural Development Corporation, will contribute to discussions around regulatory structure, developer accountability, and sustainable land-use planning.
Addressing fraud and protecting investor confidence
With rising interest in agro real estate investments, the summit will directly confront the issue of fraudulent and poorly structured agro real estate schemes that threaten investor trust and sector credibility. Sessions will focus on identifying red flags, strengthening due diligence frameworks, and defining minimum standards required for legitimate agro real estate development across Africa.
By addressing fraud openly, AAREDS positions itself as a market-stabilizing platform, committed to protecting investors and ensuring that capital flows into credible, development-driven projects.
Institutional capital and public–private collaboration
Institutional and enterprise participation will be reinforced by contributions from Prof. Olusola Kehinde, Vice Chancellor of the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB), emphasizing the role of research, innovation, and skills development in agro-based real assets.
Financial and institutional perspectives will also be represented by Mr. Ngozi Anyogu, GMD/CEO of AG Mortgage Bank, and Mr. Abubakar Lawal, GMD/CEO of GTI Group, both of whom bring critical insights into financing structures, mortgage-backed land development, and long-term capital deployment.
The summit ultimately serves as a collaboration bridge between government parastatals and the private sector, focused on building a sustainable agro real estate value chain — from land access and policy alignment to financing, development, and long-term asset performance.
AAREDS is expected to attract developers, agribusiness operators, institutional investors, policymakers, and land-owning stakeholders seeking clarity, legitimacy, and structured opportunities in Africa’s evolving agro real estate sector.
