The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has unveiled plans to drive large-scale agricultural transformation in the region, with a high-level summit scheduled for July 15, 2026, at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
The event, organised in collaboration with the Office of the Vice President, will formally launch the Niger Delta Agricultural Development and Investment Fund and establish a unified platform to attract investment and coordinate agricultural growth across the nine oil-producing states.
Managing Director of NDDC, Dr Samuel Ogbuku, said the initiative is aimed at shifting the region’s economic focus from oil dependency to food production, positioning agriculture as a tool for job creation, peace, and sustainable development.
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According to him, the summit will bring together government officials, investors, development partners, and private sector players to unlock viable agricultural opportunities and design a long-term strategy for the sector.
He explained that the plan aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which prioritises economic diversification through agriculture.
The commission noted that despite the Niger Delta’s rich biodiversity and farming potential, years of environmental degradation and underinvestment have limited productivity. The summit, it said, will address these challenges while building on each state’s comparative advantage, including aquaculture, cassava, fisheries, cocoa, and oil palm production.
Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari, has pledged technical support for the initiative, highlighting ongoing federal programmes such as the LIFE-ND project and Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones designed to boost value chains and rural livelihoods.
Ogbuku said the commission has already taken steps to strengthen mechanised farming by distributing over 100 tractors across the region and training 11 agricultural engineers abroad to support modern farming practices.
He added that partnerships with international agencies, including a $60 million programme with the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), are expected to further tackle youth unemployment and expand agribusiness opportunities.
The NDDC has also invested in infrastructure, including two rice processing plants in Rivers and Akwa Ibom states, aimed at increasing local production and supporting smallholder farmers.
Officials say the Abuja summit is expected to produce a comprehensive agricultural master plan for 2026 to 2030, with a focus on moving from policy discussions to practical implementation.
The commission maintains that repositioning agriculture in the Niger Delta will not only improve food security but also reduce restiveness by providing sustainable livelihoods for communities long affected by oil exploration.

