ABUJA — The Federal Government has announced a strategic N80 billion agricultural fund offering N2 billion each to 40 selected public tertiary institutions across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones to drive large-scale commercial farming and food self-sufficiency.
Under the agricultural development initiative, beneficiary universities, polytechnics, and colleges of agriculture will access direct intervention capital to establish mechanized farms, modernize agro-processing infrastructure, expand storage facilities, and scale food production within campus farm estates.
The initiative aims to harness the massive land assets held by federal and state-owned tertiary institutions while shifting higher education research toward practical solutions for food security, post-harvest losses, and agricultural technology innovation.
To ensure transparent execution and high yields, the project framework mandates multi-agency supervision involving the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, the Federal Ministry of Education, and the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund).
Selection criteria for the 40 pioneer institutions prioritized schools with existing agricultural science faculties, available arable land holdings, and clear proposals for commercial crop cultivation, livestock farming, or aquaculture.
Government representatives affirmed that the initiative will double as practical entrepreneurship training for students, positioning Nigeria’s tertiary institutions as central engines of national food supply and regional commodity markets.
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