Agriculture

‘Nigeria Must Move Forward In Export Biz’

Published

9 years ago

October 5, 2016

The Customs Area Control
ler, Kirikiri Lighter Terminal Command, Comptroller Benjamin Aber, has urged Nigerians to be more serious with exportation of goods to replenish the country’s dwindling foreign reserves.
The comptroller made the plea at a meeting on the Nigerian Export Trade Hub (NETH), hosted by the Customs command.
He suggested that Nigeria needed to be focused on exportation in order to get out of the current economic recession
Aber had in the last eight months been organizing several meetings geared toward reviving the Kirikiri Terminal.
He said that agriculture could sustain Nigeria if vigorously pursued.
“It is time Nigeria moves forward in its export business. We need to move Nigeria forward away from reliance on oil.
“Agriculture can sustain this country.
“The Nigeria Customs Service is now in the forefront that export business should be done in such a way that it earns foreign exchange for the country,” the comptroller was quoted as saying.
Comptroller Aber said that all federal regulatory agencies would be linked to the NETH, adding that doing business through the Hub would be easy.
NETH was launched on August 2016 by critical stakeholders, including the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN); Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC), National Foods, Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC); and Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA)
It is aimed not only to earn foreign exchange for the country but to also create a trade balance.
The exportable commodities are to be warehoused in Aulic Container Bonded Terminal in the Trade Fair Complex, Lagos.
According to the Coordinator of the Hub, Assistant Superintendent of Customs, Frank Ezeh, NETH gives investors the opportunity to bring in their goods, have easy access to exporting them out of the country.
“This is to also guide against the ban or black listing of Nigerian exports to Europe and the world over.
“With this, the country’s balance of trade will be improved upon,” Ezeh said.
The Chief Executive Officer of Aulic Container Bonded Terminal, Prof. Nick Ezeh, who doubles as the Chairman of the Infrastructure and Business Committee of NETH, said that the terminal has a standard police station.
According to him, there is also an export hall measuring 11,000 square metres, fire service station and a medical clinic.
Ezeh said that with the10-lane road project of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and Nigeria, “the terminal is a place to be”.
Corroborating Comptroller Aber’s position on government agencies in the terminal, Ezeh said there were buildings that would accommodate all government agencies in separate offices.
He called on government’s representatives at the meeting to turn in their requirements and how they want their offices to look like.
A representative of NACCIMA, Chief Wale Adegboye said that the Hub would add more value to the exportation of goods in Nigeria and “will bring back the confidence of exporters in Nigeria”.
He lauded the resilience of Comptroller Aber in bringing the needed change with his expertise.
Adegboye promised that the Chamber would support the Hub.
An official of the NEPC, Mrs Mary Ikejiofor, also said that the NEC would support the Hub.
She said, “NETH is a one-stop window that will aid exporters in the exportation of their goods.”
Ikejiafor advised all government agencies to link up to the Hub as it would guide against exportation of bad products.
Already, there will be a data base and documentation management system in the Hub that will aid exportation of goods within 24 hours after a logging in and payment is made to the necessary agency.
Also a warehouse warrant is to be issued by the Nigerian Stock Exchange, (NSE), as the data in the Hub is accessible all round the clock and seamlessly linked to the NEPC.
The data could not be destroyed by fire.
The portal also spotted bad products which will not be allowed to go out as such products would not be certified.
“The Hub also helps the exporter identify potential market and distribution channels of his products and provides fast access to financing.

Agriculture

KWASANGLaunches Cassava Processing Factory To Boost Value Chain In Kwara

Published

2 months ago

January 2, 2026

The Tide

The Kwara State Government has inaugurated the Kwara State Association of Nigerians in UK (KWASANG) APEX CO-OP Cassava Value-Addition Factory in Osin Pakate, Ilorin East Local Government Area, to boost cassava value addition and agro-processing in the State.

Speaking at the event, Alabi, Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, Afees Abolore Alabi, described the initiative as a cooperative-led programme that aligns with the State’s agricultural development priorities.

He noted with satisfaction that the project demonstrates how farmer organisations, supported by the right policies and partnerships, can drive sustainable agribusiness growth.

Alabi explained that cassava value addition plays a critical role in reducing post-harvest losses, improving product quality, and increasing farmers’ incomes, while also creating employment opportunities for youths and women.

He added that initiatives such as the KWASANG factory contribute to food security, supply of industrial raw materials, and rural economic development.

Alabi acknowledged the partnership of the leadership of KWASANG with diaspora partners, describing their collective investment as a strong signal of confidence in cassava production and processing opportunities within the state.

The Commissioner further noted that cooperative organisation remains a key pillar in the Government’s approach to inclusive agricultural development.

Alabi stated that the role of the Kwara State Government is to provide an enabling environment through supportive policies, infrastructure development, capacity building, and strategic collaboration with cooperatives and the private sector.

He added that the progress being recorded across the cassava value chain reflects the development direction of Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, whose administration continues to prioritise agricultural transformation through strategic partnerships and investor-friendly policies.

The factory, according to the Commissioner, is expected to process cassava into products such as Gari, high-quality cassava flour, starch, and other value-added derivatives for household consumption and industrial use.

Alabi stated “The initiative also complements ongoing efforts to strengthen the cassava value chain through improved access to inputs, extension support, and market linkages aimed at increasing productivity and profitability for farmers across the State”.

Earlier, the Chairman of KWASANG Farmers, Mustapha Tunde Salawu, appreciated the Kwara State Government for creating a supportive environment that made the project possible.

He encouraged Nigerians in the diaspora, particularly Kwarans, to look back home and invest as a way of contributing to the development of their communities, Kwara State, and the country at large.

Salawu noted that Kwara State’s vast arable farmland and its strategic location as a gateway between the northern and southern parts of the country made it a highly attractive destination for agricultural and agribusiness investment.

“The KWASANG APEX CO-OP Cassava Value-Adding Factory, is expected to reduce post-harvest losses, improve market access for cassava farmers, and stimulate economic activities within Osin Pakate and surrounding communities”, he said.

Agriculture

Livestock Ministry Empowers Women, Youths For Sustainable Growth

Published

2 months ago

January 2, 2026

The Tide

The Federal Ministry of Livestock Development has reaffirmed its commitment to empowering women and youths as key drivers of a sustainable, innovative, and competitive livestock sector in Nigeria.

The Director, Technical, Office of the Permanent Secretary, Dr. Peter Alike, stated this at a Capacity Building Workshop for Women and Youths in the Livestock Value Chain, held in Abuja from Monday, 29th – Tuesday 30th December, 2025.

Alike emphasised that integrating sustainability and innovation across the entire livestock value chain, from feed production and animal husbandry to processing and marketing, is critical to transforming the sector and unlocking its economic potential.

He noted that building the capacity of women and youths remains central to the Ministry’s mandate to reposition livestock as a viable contributor to food security, employment, and national growth.

According to him, the capacity-building initiative is designed as a continuous and transformative programme, equipping participants with practical, hands-on skills that can be directly applied to their farms and enterprises.

He stressed that the training goes beyond theory, focusing on actionable knowledge, mindset change, and long-term competency development to promote sustainable livestock practices.

Alike further explained that the strategic importance of women and youths informed their inclusion as a priority group within the ten pillars of the National Livestock Growth Acceleration Strategy (NL-GAS), the Ministry’s flagship framework for sectoral reform.

In his presentation, an Animal Scientist, Ifeanyi Harry Njoagwuani, described sustainability as a continuous journey driven by science and effective management highlighting the adoption of climate-resilient breeds, improved genetics, precision nutrition through optimized feed formulations, and climate-smart housing systems as critical pathways to sustainable livestock production.

Speaking during a session on biogas production for sustainable livestock development, Ayoade Akande, underscored the need to strengthen extension services and promote private sector investment in modern feed technologies.

He advocated for expanded forage seed distribution networks, support for research and innovation hubs, and enabling policies that promote sustainable ruminant nutrition.

In his closing remarks, the Director of Livestock Extension and Business Development, Joseph Ako Eleojo, urged participants to form cooperative alliances and serve as advocates for change within their communities.

He noted that women and youths were deliberately targeted for the programme due to their strategic role in driving innovation, productivity, and sustainability in the livestock sector.

A major highlight of the two-day workshop was a study visit to De-Dre Solution Poultry Farm, located at Pasali 2, Kuje Area Council of the FCT. The farm, with a capacity of 24,800 birds, produces approximately 650 crates of eggs daily, providing participants with practical insights into efficient and sustainable poultry operations.

Participants at the workshop were drawn from poultry and ruminant farming enterprises across several states of the Federation.

Agriculture

FG, Ogun Distribute Inputs To 2,400 Farmers

Published

1 year ago

October 4, 2024

The Tide

Federal Government and the Ogun State Government, on Wednesday, distributed farm inputs to farmers as part of effort to address food security challenge.
The State Director, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Dr. Toyin Ayo-Ajayi, during the flag-off ceremony of Inputs Redemption Under The National Agricultural Growth Scheme-Agro Pocket (NAGS-AP), in Ogun State, disclosed that beneficiaries of the gesture were primarily rice, maize and cassava farmers across the State.
Ayo-Ajayi commended the Ogun State Government for partnering with the government at the centre for the effort in supporting farmers with inputs that would bring about yieldings for local consumption and likely exportation.
She noted that government is supporting rice, cassava and maize farmers with inputs worth N212,000; N189,000 and N186,000 respectively.
The Permanent Secretary in the State Ministry of Agriculture, Mrs Kehinde Jokotoye, who represented the Commissioner in the Ministry, Bolu Owotomo, stated that traditional farmers are critical in food production, hence the need to encourage and support them with inputs that would bring about desired results during harvesting.
Owotomo said: “Let us make good use of this opportunity, so that the success of this phase will make farmers benefit more from the state and federal governments of Nigeria.”
Earlier, State Coordinator, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Dr. Oluwatoyin Ayo-Ajayi, appreciated the present administration for partnering with the federal government for the initiative, adding that the programme is designed to support farmers at the grassroots level in cassava, rice and maize with inputs such as, seeds, pesticides, herbicides and fertilizers, to boost their production and enhance their livelihood.