LAGOS, July 16 – Nigeria has launched a $500 million agriculture investment fund for the Niger Delta, as the government seeks to increase food production, attract private capital and strengthen food security across the oil-producing region.
Announcing the initiative at the Niger Delta Investment Summit in Abuja on Wednesday, Vice President Kashim Shettima said the fund would support investment across key agricultural value chains, including aquaculture, palm oil and marine resources.
The investment vehicle will operate on a commercial, returns-driven model, financing opportunities across crop production, livestock, fisheries and other marine-based industries. The government expects the fund to catalyse private sector participation while promoting sustainable agricultural development in the region.
According to Shettima, the fund will mobilise financing from several development finance institutions alongside private investors.
He said the fund will pool commitments from the World Bank, the African Development Bank, the Islamic Development Bank and private investors, although he did not disclose the detailed financing structure or individual contributions.
The initiative aligns with Nigeria’s broader food security agenda, which includes plans to deploy 10,000 tractors over the next five years and accelerate agricultural mechanisation to improve productivity and reduce the country’s dependence on food imports.
The new fund is expected to strengthen agricultural investment in the Niger Delta while supporting economic diversification, job creation and long-term resilience in one of Nigeria’s most resource-rich regions.
