Our Correspondent | Agriculture
The Federal Government has announced that it has injected ₦31.35 billion into Nigeria’s agricultural sector and delivered 122,332 metric tonnes of food through the Livelihood Improvement Family Enterprises – Niger Delta (LIFE-ND) Project, as part of ongoing efforts to boost food security and rural development.
The disclosure was made by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Marcus Ogunbiyi, during a national event in Abuja focused on scaling up youth agripreneurship for food systems transformation.
Ogunbiyi highlighted the project’s achievements, noting its significant impact on economic growth, employment generation, and gender inclusion. According to him, the LIFE-ND initiative has created 23,751 new jobs, including 12,526 positions occupied by women, helping to enhance rural participation and support national development.
“The LIFE-ND has made landmark achievements and impact, and these speak to measurable outcomes and its transformative power,” Ogunbiyi said. “Young Nigerians are employed, skilled, and contributing to national development.”
Beyond job creation, Ogunbiyi explained that the project’s beneficiaries — known as agripreneurs — have collectively contributed over 122,000MT of food to Nigeria’s supply chain, easing pressure on prices and improving household nutrition.
He added that the ₦31.35 billion injected into the rural economy of the Niger Delta represents direct income for families, driving community revitalisation and long-term economic resilience.
Also speaking at the event, the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Abubakar Kyari, affirmed that the FGN/NDDC/IFAD-assisted LIFE-ND Project exemplifies the government’s strategy to empower youth and transform the agri-food ecosystem.
Kyari emphasised the central role of young people in building resilient food systems, urging them to continue innovating and taking calculated risks. He also outlined new support pillars aimed at expanding youth-led agribusinesses, including:
- A land access and tenure assistance programme prioritising young farmers.
- An innovative financing mechanism designed with blended finance options and simplified access for youth-led ventures, with strict decision-making timelines.
The minister stressed that scaling up these interventions “quickly, inclusively, and sustainably” remains critical to achieving national food security goals.
The LIFE-ND Project, implemented across the Niger Delta in collaboration with IFAD and the NDDC, is regarded as one of Nigeria’s most successful rural livelihood initiatives, with its impacts now driving conversations on nationwide expansion.