Vice President Kashim Shettima has officially unveiled the Niger Delta Agricultural Development and Investment Fund, alongside a new Coordinating Council tasked with overseeing regional agricultural expansion. During the summit at the Abuja Presidential Villa, Shettima emphasized that this effort supports President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which seeks to harness the region’s farming potential for economic growth.
Organized by the Office of the Vice President and the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), the event aimed to unify government and private stakeholders. Shettima reminded attendees that agriculture was once Nigeria’s primary economic engine before the shift toward oil production, urging a return to these foundational roots for long-term stability.
Minister of Regional Development, Engr. Abubakar Momoh, encouraged investors to recognize the region’s capacity as an agricultural powerhouse rather than just an oil hub. NDDC leadership, including Chairman Chiedu Ebie and Managing Director Dr. Samuel Ogbuku, underscored that their projects align with federal goals for food security and job creation. Ogbuku specifically highlighted that infrastructure improvements, such as the Kaa-Ataba Bridge in Rivers State, are vital to these efforts.
Dr. Winifred Madume, the NDDC Director of Agriculture and Fisheries, noted that the region’s ecological diversity and access to waterways make it an ideal location for modern, commercially viable agribusiness. The initiative seeks to transition the Niger Delta from subsistence farming to a sophisticated, investment-ready agricultural sector.
