Shettima launches Niger Delta Agricultural Development, Investment Fund

Vice President Kashim Shettima has officially launched the Niger Delta Agricultural Development and Investment Fund and inaugurated a Coordinating Council to oversee agricultural development in the region. The initiative is a key component of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s agrarian program, known as the Renewed Hope Agenda.

Speaking at the Niger Delta Agricultural Development and Investment Summit in Abuja, Shettima emphasized the fund's role in mobilizing collective commitment from government, investors, development partners, and the private sector. The goal is to harness the Niger Delta's significant agricultural potential and translate it into tangible economic growth.

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Before oil took centre stage in our economy, it was the soil that paid our bills. We must, therefore, return to agriculture for our economic development.

The summit, co-organized by the Office of the Vice President and the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), operated under the theme: “Unlocking Investment for Sustainable Agricultural Transformation in the Niger Delta.” Vice President Shettima highlighted agriculture's historical importance to Nigeria's economy, noting that it sustained the country before oil became its primary revenue source. "Before oil took centre stage in our economy, it was the soil that paid our bills. We must, therefore, return to agriculture for our economic development," he stated.

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The future of agriculture is in mechanised and innovative farming, and the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu has placed agriculture at the heart of Nigeria’s economic development.

Minister of Regional Development, Engr. Abubakar Momoh, urged investors to diversify their focus beyond oil and gas, recognizing the Niger Delta as a crucial contributor to Nigeria's food security. He described the region as a potential agricultural powerhouse, stressing the importance of mechanized and innovative farming for the future. "The future of agriculture is in mechanised and innovative farming, and the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu has placed agriculture at the heart of Nigeria’s economic development," Momoh said.

NDDC Governing Board Chairman, Mr. Chiedu Ebie, echoed these sentiments, pointing out the region's vast arable land. He affirmed the NDDC's alignment with federal agricultural policies and the eight presidential priorities, including food security and poverty eradication, as guiding principles for a prosperous Niger Delta. NDDC Managing Director, Dr. Samuel Ogbuku, also reaffirmed the commission's dedication to President Tinubu's mandate for regional transformation.

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We remain guided and aligned with the agricultural policies of the Federal Government. The eight presidential priorities encompassing food security, poverty eradication, job creation, and the fight against corruption serve as our roadmap toward a brighter and more prosperous Niger Delta.