Vice President Kashim Shettima has unveiled the Niger Delta Agricultural Development and Investment Fund and inaugurated a Coordinating Council to drive agricultural development and investment across the Niger Delta region.
Speaking at the Niger Delta Agricultural Development and Investment Summit held at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, Shettima said the initiative aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which prioritises agriculture as a key driver of economic growth and national development.
He explained that the summit was designed to bring together government agencies, private investors, development partners and other stakeholders to unlock the vast agricultural potential of the Niger Delta and transform it into sustainable economic opportunities.
The summit, organised by the Office of the Vice President in collaboration with the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and supported by governors of the nine Niger Delta states, focused on attracting investments for long-term agricultural transformation in the region.
Shettima stressed that agriculture once served as the backbone of Nigeria’s economy before the rise of the oil sector and called for renewed efforts to restore the sector’s strategic importance.
Also speaking, the Minister of Regional Development, Abubakar Momoh, encouraged investors to see the Niger Delta as more than an oil-producing region, describing it as a major agricultural hub capable of strengthening Nigeria’s food security. He emphasised that mechanised and technology-driven farming remains essential for the future of agriculture.
The Chairman of the NDDC Governing Board, Chiedu Ebie, said the commission remains committed to supporting the Federal Government’s agricultural policies and advancing key priorities such as food security, poverty reduction, job creation and economic development.
NDDC Managing Director, Dr Samuel Ogbuku, reaffirmed the commission’s commitment to diversifying the region’s economy through agriculture. He noted that the Niger Delta’s fertile land presents enormous opportunities for food production, employment generation and investment.
Ogbuku also disclosed that the commission is nearing completion of the 1.2-kilometre Kaa-Ataba Bridge connecting Khana and Andoni Local Government Areas of Rivers State, describing infrastructure as critical to agricultural growth.
Representing the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Permanent Secretary Dr Marcus Ogunbiyi said the Tinubu administration remains focused on achieving food security by promoting mechanised farming over subsistence agriculture.
Delivering the keynote address, Prince S. J. Samuel urged stakeholders to embrace modern agricultural practices to unlock the region’s full economic potential.
Akwa Ibom State Governor, Pastor Umo Eno, represented by his deputy, Senator Akon Eyakenyi, praised the organisers of the summit and reaffirmed the state’s commitment to revitalising agriculture across the Niger Delta.
Other stakeholders at the event stressed the importance of strategic partnerships, modern farming techniques and infrastructure development to position the Niger Delta as a leading agribusiness destination capable of attracting local and international investment.
