Dr. Tony Bello is Chief Innovation & Commercialization Officer at Matna Foods Ltd. and Co-Convener of the Nigeria Cassava Industrialization Council (NCIC). He is a food scientist, inventor, and commercialization leader with over 30 years of experience in food innovation, agribusiness, and agro-industrial development across Africa and the United States.
Prior to returning to Africa, he held innovation and leadership roles with leading U.S. food companies, including Kellogg Company and Frito-Lay. He is the recipient of a U.S. patent for potato-based snack technology and a co-inventor on international patent applications involving omega-3 fortification of cereals and cereal-based foods.
Dr. Bello previously served as Senior Technical Advisor to Nigeria's Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) during the tenure of Dr. Akinwumi Adesina as Minister of Agriculture.
A passionate advocate for agricultural industrialization, he is committed to transforming African staple crops into globally competitive ingredients and food systems while mentoring the next generation of African scientists, innovators, and entrepreneurs.