Shettima Launches Niger Delta Agricultural Development and Investment Fund to Drive Food Security

Vice President Kashim Shettima has launched the Niger Delta Agricultural Development and Investment Fund (NDADIF) and inaugurated a Coordinating Council for Agricultural Development and Investment as part of the Federal Government's efforts to transform the Niger Delta into a major agricultural hub.

Vice President Kashim Shettima has launched the Niger Delta Agricultural Development and Investment Fund, a key initiative under President Tinubu's Renewed Hope Agenda to boost agriculture, attract investment, and improve food security.

The launch took place during the Niger Delta Agricultural Development and Investment Summit held at the Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

The summit was jointly organised by the Office of the Vice President and the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), with support from the governors of the nine Niger Delta states. It was themed "Unlocking Investment for Sustainable Agricultural Transformation in the Niger Delta."

Shettima Links Initiative to Tinubu's Renewed Hope Agenda

Speaking at the event, Vice President Shettima said the new agricultural fund is a key component of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's Renewed Hope Agenda, aimed at diversifying Nigeria's economy and reducing dependence on oil revenues.

According to him, the initiative will bring together government agencies, private investors, development partners, and financial institutions to unlock the vast agricultural potential of the Niger Delta.

"The summit will mobilise the collective commitment of government, investors, development partners and the private sector towards transforming the agricultural potential of the Niger Delta into measurable economic progress," Shettima said.

'Agriculture Once Sustained Nigeria'

The Vice President stressed that agriculture remains the backbone of Nigeria's long-term economic development, recalling the country's economic success before crude oil became its primary source of revenue.

"Before oil took centre stage in our economy, it was the soil that paid our bills. We must, therefore, return to agriculture for our economic development," he stated.

He noted that investing in agriculture would not only improve food production but also create jobs, boost rural development, and strengthen Nigeria's economic resilience.

Minister Urges Investors to Look Beyond Oil

Also speaking at the summit, the Minister of Regional Development, Engr. Abubakar Momoh, called on investors to shift their attention beyond the oil and gas sector and take advantage of the Niger Delta's enormous agricultural opportunities.

According to him, the region has the capacity to become one of Nigeria's leading food-producing zones through mechanised farming and modern agricultural technologies.

"The future of agriculture is in mechanised and innovative farming, and the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu has placed agriculture at the heart of Nigeria's economic development," Momoh said.

NDDC: Niger Delta Has Huge Agricultural Potential

Chairman of the NDDC Governing Board, Mr. Chiedu Ebie, described the Niger Delta as more than just Nigeria's oil-producing region.

Vice President Kashim Shettima has launched the Niger Delta Agricultural Development and Investment Fund, a key initiative under President Tinubu's Renewed Hope Agenda to boost agriculture, attract investment, and improve food security.

He said the area possesses vast fertile land capable of supporting large-scale agricultural production and attracting significant investment into agribusiness.

According to Ebie, the new investment fund is expected to help unlock these opportunities and position the Niger Delta as a major contributor to Nigeria's food security and economic diversification.

What the Agricultural Fund Aims to Achieve

The Niger Delta Agricultural Development and Investment Fund is expected to:

• Attract private sector investment into agriculture.
• Promote mechanised and climate-smart farming.
• Support farmers and agribusinesses across the Niger Delta.
• Enhance food security nationwide.
• Create employment opportunities for youths and women.
• Reduce Nigeria's dependence on crude oil by diversifying the economy.

The initiative forms part of broader efforts by the Federal Government to stimulate sustainable economic growth through agriculture and rural development.