Author: Adewale Kupoluyi

President Bola Tinubu has said Nigeria is targeting more than doubling the livestock sector’s estimated US$32billion annual contribution to the national economy, as part of efforts to make the country a leading hub for livestock production and processing in Africa. Tinubu stated this in Abuja at the opening ceremony of the 9th All Africa Conference on Animal Agriculture, themed, “Repositioning Animal Agriculture for Africa’s Agricultural Food Security and Global Competitiveness”. The President, represented at the event by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, said the Federal Government is committed to transforming livestock production from a…

The Federal Government has announced plans to deepen scientific and technological collaboration with China to reduce post-harvest losses, promote agro-processing, and boost Nigeria’s agricultural exports. The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology, (FMIST) Dr. Mukhtar Muhammed disclosed this in Abuja at the Seasonal Life and Harmonious China Cultural Exhibition, held at the China Cultural Centre. Muhammed said the collaboration would focus on practical areas, including the development of affordable solar-powered cold storage facilities, technology transfer for agro-processing, and expanded scientific exchanges between Nigeria and Chinese institutions. He said Nigeria must leverage the recent expansion of access to the Chinese market to…

Ghana’s parliament has passed a bill that could send cocoa farmers to prison for up to 20 years, if they convert their farms to other uses without government’s approval. According to a copy of the bill seen by The Associated Press, the new measure was passed, but the President, John Mahama, has not yet signed the law. The legislation would give all cocoa farms protected status, making it a criminal offence to repurpose them for anything else without authorisation, drawing criticism from farmers. “If the law stands as it is now, it’s not fair,” said the Administrator of the Ghana Cooperative Cocoa Farmers…

The Federal Government has commenced the training of 4,000 tractor operators under its national agricultural mechanisation project, as part of efforts to strengthen food security and build the skilled workforce required to drive large-scale modern farming across the country. The development was disclosed in a statement issued by AGCOMS International Trading Limited, which said the nationwide training programme is being coordinated by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (FMAFS), through the National Agricultural Development Fund (NADF), in partnership with AGCOMS International Trading Limited and the Industrial Training Fund (ITF). “The Federal Government has commenced the training programme for…

Applications are now open for the GrowthGia Agro Business Grant 2026, a funding initiative designed to support operational farmers in Nigeria, who are building sustainable and growth-oriented agricultural businesses. This edition of the grant is exclusively focused on the agricultural sector, providing financial support to farmers committed to expanding their operations, improving productivity, and contributing to Nigeria’s food security and economic development. Through this initiative, GrowthGia aims to strengthen the country’s agricultural ecosystem by empowering entrepreneurs with the resources needed to scale their farming businesses. Applicants must be operational farmers, based in Nigeria. They are to own existing and active farming businesses, and active…

The Federal Government has signed an agreement to provide electricity to special Agro-industrial Processing Zones (SAPZs) across the country, as it seeks to boost agricultural productivity and rural industrialisation. The agreement, signed in Abuja between the Rural Electrification Agency (REA), and the SAPZ programme, covers joint assessment, technical assistance and energy deployment across the processing zones under the agency’s Desert to Power initiative. Speaking at the signing ceremony in Abuja, Vice President Kashim Shettima, said access to reliable and affordable electricity is critical to the success of the SAPZ programme and has the potential to transform Nigeria’s agricultural value chain. Shettima, who was represented by…

Nigeria has the land, the climate, and the people to feed itself and export, but farming here still feels like an uphill fight. From where I stand, the problems are less about Nigerians, not wanting to farm and more about the environment around farming, making it too risky and too expensive. Insecurity and land access are two major factors affecting agricultural practices in the country. In many food-belt states, farmers can’t even access their farms consistently because of banditry, herder-farmer clashes, and kidnapping. When your biggest risk is losing your life or your harvest to raiders, long-term investment like irrigation…

The Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Abubakar Kyari, has urged African countries to invest more in science, research and innovation, saying the continent must move beyond consuming agricultural technologies developed elsewhere and become a global centre of agricultural knowledge and scientific excellence. Kyari spoke at the official opening ceremony of the 9th Africa Agriculture Science Week and the 10th General Assembly of the Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa, saying Africa’s vast natural resources alone could not guarantee prosperity without investments in knowledge, innovation and enterprise. According to him, “Africa is richly-endowed with fertile lands, diverse ecosystems, abundant biodiversity and one of the…

Land can make or break your farm. In Nigeria, it’s one of the biggest reasons new farmers struggle or quit. Before you buy seeds or rent a tractor, take these eight things into cognisance: Land tenure and ownership documents: Is the land free from family, community, or government dispute? In many areas, land is held under customary law. Always get proper documentation, Certificate of Occupancy, Deed of Assignment, or Governor’s Consent. Do due diligence with a lawyer and the Lands Registry. Farming on disputed land means you can lose everything after two seasons. Location and accessibility: Can trucks reach your farm in rainy season?…

On a 20-hectare greenhouse in Ogun State, 29-year-old Tolu Adebayo monitors soil moisture on his phone while drones spray tomatoes below. 500 kilometers away in Kano, a cooperative of women processes shea butter for export to the United States, and in Benue, tractors move in convoys across land that, a decade ago, was tilled by hand. These are not isolated stories. They are early signals of what experts say could be Nigeria’s biggest economic shift yet, agriculture moving from subsistence to industry. With oil revenues uncertain and a population set to hit 400 million by 2050, the question is no…