Okra genetic improvement in Nigeria is a core mandate of the National Horticultural Research Institute (NIHORT), Ibadan, Nigeria. In the last four decades, NIHORT has released only four (4) okra varieties. These varieties were majorly products of pure-line selection from the evaluation of large accessions. A demand-led approach was adopted, starting with a participatory rural appraisal (PRA) aimed at identifying constraints to okra production and trait preferences among value chain actors. Results from the PRA study revealed differences in trait preferences among the value chain actors. For instance, farmers selected high yield and resistance to diseases and pests as the first and second most preferred traits, while consumers and marketers selected high viscosity and spineless fruits as their first and second most preferred traits. Diseases, insect pests, drought, and unavailability of improved varieties were ranked as the first to fourth constraints to okra production, causing great damage, respectively. Going forward in our breeding efforts to be able to profile the identified needs of the different stakeholders, okra germplasm was assembled and characterized in order to identify accessions that possess genes for traits of interest and that can serve as putative parents in the breeding program. Currently, classical breeding approaches are being used in our breeding program to combine genes of interest toward developing improved varieties. We look forward to integrating precision modern breeding techniques into our okra breeding program. The institute is ready for collaboration between public and private organizations to be able to make the okra breeding program more efficient and effective.