Nigeria’s Vice President Kashim Shettima has announced a $500 million agricultural investment initiative aimed at unlocking the Niger Delta’s farming potential and strengthening Africa’s efforts to improve food security.
Shettima introduced the fund during the Niger Delta Agricultural Development and Investment Summit in Abuja, saying the initiative will support key areas of agriculture, including aquaculture, palm oil, livestock, fisheries, marine resources, and crop production.
The programme will use a business-focused financing model to attract investment from local and international partners, including development institutions such as the World Bank, African Development Bank, Islamic Development Bank, and private sector investors.
The initiative forms part of Nigeria’s broader plan to diversify its economy by expanding agriculture and reducing reliance on oil revenues. It is expected to create opportunities for farmers, entrepreneurs, and young people while supporting rural development across the Niger Delta.
The region, which has long been central to Nigeria’s oil industry, has vast agricultural resources, including fertile land, waterways, and coastal ecosystems that could support large-scale food production and agribusiness growth.
Through increased investment, modern farming approaches, and stronger agricultural value chains, the fund aims to raise productivity, expand exports, and contribute to Africa’s wider efforts to achieve food security and sustainable economic development.
