ProVeg has recently opened a hub in Nigeria with a goal of promoting healthy, tasty food that is both climate and animal-friendly. The campaign, ProVeg Nigeria, aims to educate people across many regions of the country on the importance of adopting plant-based diets. According to ProVeg, meat consumption in Nigeria is forecasted to grow by more than 300% by 2050, bringing with it a host of health and environmental challenges. ProVeg Nigeria believes that shifting to a more plant-based diet will help combat issues associated with the food system such as malnutrition, food security, water scarcity, and the need to make crops more resilient.
The office is headed by Country Director Hakeen Jimo who also co-founded VeggieVictory, a plant-based food tech company. ProVeg Nigeria’s focus is on informing people about the importance of balanced and sustainable diets, encouraging them to avoid consuming unhealthy Western diets that are rich in unsaturated fats, salt, and sugar. It is crucial to inform citizens about how they can meet their nutritional needs with plant-based sources.
ProVeg Nigeria recognizes the links between agriculture, the environment, and food security. Despite low emissions compared to other developed countries, Africa is likely to be one of the most affected continents by climate change, and a significant part of this is due to livestock farming. ProVeg Nigeria suggests that Nigeria, despite being a very arable country, experiences infrastructural setbacks, causing farmers to struggle to get their produce to consumers. Despite animal protein currently not meeting protein demand, ProVeg Nigeria believes that a shift toward a more plant-based diet will not only provide a more affordable protein source but will result in a lesser environmental impact.
In summary, ProVeg Nigeria is committed to informing people about the many benefits of plant-based diets to combat rising meat consumption, health issues, and environmental problems in Nigeria. By encouraging food innovation in the plant-based egg, milk, and protein spaces, ProVeg Nigeria seeks to shift consumers away from unhealthy Western diets and increase food security across the region.
