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Rising startup activity in Israel and Nigeria is unlocking significant employment opportunities, as both countries harness technology and innovation to tackle economic pressures and strengthen food security.
In Israel, the technology ecosystem continues to show resilience despite global headwinds. Data from Startup Nation Central points to $10.6 billion in funding and a 49 percent increase in mergers and acquisitions, underscoring sustained investor confidence. The sector employs tens of thousands of professionals, with particular strength in cybersecurity and rapidly expanding agricultural technology segments.
Israel’s agritech industry, in particular, has become a major source of employment. Between 2019 and 2025, the sector recorded strong job growth driven by advances in precision agriculture, robotics, water management, and smart farming solutions. By 2025, more than 15,000 professionals were employed across over 500 agritech companies, a figure that has continued to rise into 2026.
The industry now generates more than $2 billion in annual exports, while labour demand is shifting from manual roles to specialised skills in artificial intelligence, robotics, data analytics, software engineering, agronomy, and international sales. Industry projections suggest the sector could grow by 20–25 percent annually through 2030, further boosting demand for highly skilled talent.
To sustain this momentum, Israel is investing in dedicated innovation hubs such as the Beit Asher Food-Tech Quarter in the Galilee. These initiatives are designed to stimulate job creation in northern regions and position Israel as a global centre for agritech and food technology.
In Nigeria, government-led reforms are also placing startups and agribusiness at the heart of job creation. The Federal Government has announced new incentives to attract large-scale investment into agriculture, with a focus on expanding irrigation, improving access to credit, accelerating mechanisation, and generating millions of rural jobs.
Vice President Kashim Shettima, speaking at the Food and Agriculture Organisation’s National and Subregional Hand-in-Hand Investment Forum in Abuja, described hunger as “the great equalizer that exposes humanity’s vulnerabilities and fragility,” emphasising that food security is both a national priority and a global stability issue.
Under the new framework, the government plans to introduce single-window platforms for land registration, strengthen farmer credit schemes, roll out large-scale mechanisation projects, and expand irrigation infrastructure. According to Shettima, strategic investment in irrigation alone could significantly boost yields, reduce dependence on seasonal cycles, and strengthen resilience against climate shocks.
He also linked the reforms to Nigeria’s broader development agenda, referencing the 2021–2025 National Development Plan, which targets lifting 35 million people out of poverty, creating 21 million rural jobs, and achieving food and nutritional sufficiency. Looking ahead, he said the forthcoming Renewed Hope Plan 2026–2030 will build on existing reforms, ensure policy continuity, and align medium-term strategies with Nigeria Agenda 2050, positioning the country toward a $1 trillion economy by 2030.
Beyond policy reforms, skills development is also gaining attention. Engr. Babatunde Faleye, Dean of Universal Learn Direct Academia (ULDA), said the institution is strengthening vocational training for workers in construction and other industries. The aim, he noted, is to equip workers with relevant, industry-ready skills that meet rising demand and support the creation of more and better jobs across the economy
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