The Future Awards Africa 2025 has honoured Adetiloye Aiyeola, the Chief Executive Officer of the Produce Export Development Alliance (PEDA), for his exceptional leadership and impact in the agricultural sector. This prestigious award, announced on 22 November 2025, celebrates individuals driving tangible progress behind the scenes, focusing on real-world results rather than social media popularity.
Building Systems That Deliver Real Results
Under Adetiloye's guidance, PEDA has implemented practical systems that function effectively at the field level and in international export markets. The organization prioritizes compliance, logistics, and market access, ensuring that Nigerian farmers receive better incomes while buyers gain reliable supply chains. A key achievement has been the coordination of freight for more than 13,500 metric tons of fresh produce, all managed through compliant cold chain operations to maintain quality and reduce postharvest losses.
Key Initiatives and Strategic Partnerships
PEDA's work under Adetiloye includes several groundbreaking initiatives designed to remove bottlenecks in the agricultural value chain. One of the flagship projects is Borderless by PEDA, a business-to-business platform that connects verified Nigerian suppliers with international buyers, while also providing support for packaging and logistics execution.
The organization's partnerships have also expanded significantly. PEDA now collaborates with COLEAD for technical assistance and has engaged a Dubai-based consultancy to forge strategic business linkages. A major upcoming project is the Gulfood 2026 Strategy Programme starting in January, which will prepare African exporters for structured entry into the lucrative Gulf markets. Furthermore, PEDA is preparing for engagements with the Scottish African Business Association to deepen trade relations, sustainability, and investment dialogues in the United Kingdom.
Recognition for Execution and Impact
This award from The Future Awards Africa underscores a critical message: the people truly moving agriculture forward are often those building operational systems that create jobs, reduce losses, and improve the reliability of Nigerian exports. It affirms the focus on change-makers who turn good intentions into working, trustworthy systems for farmers, processors, and buyers alike.
Upon receiving the recognition, Adetiloye Aiyeola stated, "Execution is what moves the needle. Our focus is to turn good intentions into working systems that farmers, processors, and buyers can trust. This recognition is encouragement to deepen the work already underway across compliance, logistics, and market access."
