As part of efforts to boost agricultural research and enhance food security, the Federal Government has allocated N10 billion to kickstart commercial agricultural activities in 10 Nigerian universities.
Executive Secretary of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), Sonny Echono, disclosed this on Thursday during the inauguration of the Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering building at Joseph Sarwuan Tarka University, Makurdi (JOSTUM).
The project was funded through TETFund’s 2023 annual intervention and commissioned as part of activities marking the university’s 26th to 31st combined convocation ceremonies.
Echono revealed that the N10 billion initiative was approved by President Bola Tinubu to help tertiary institutions achieve self-reliance and generate revenue beyond government allocations.
“When we met with Mr. President, he specifically mandated us to prepare universities for self-sufficiency by exploring commercial agriculture.
He instructed us to identify institutions with vast land that can support large-scale farming not just for training students, but also for revenue generation,” Echono stated.
He confirmed that JOSTUM would be among the selected universities, given its strong focus on agriculture and available land resources.
Citing examples from countries like the United States, Echono emphasized the role of modern technology in increasing agricultural productivity.
“Only about 5% of the U.S. population is engaged in agriculture, yet they produce enough to feed their nation and export globally. This is because they leverage modern techniques and technology. Nigeria, with its rich fertile land and hardworking people, has the potential to achieve the same transformation if we embrace innovation and invest in agricultural modernization,” he added.
Echono commended the Vice-Chancellor of JOSTUM for the prudent use of TETFund resources, expressing pride in the university’s growth and development.
Also speaking at the event, Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, praised JOSTUM’s leadership for effectively utilizing funds to improve infrastructure.
“The facilities commissioned today are key interventions from the 2023 and 2024 TETFund allocations. If more universities follow JOSTUM’s example, our institutions will meet global standards within the next 15 years,” the Minister stated.
Represented by Rakiyya Illyasu, Director of University Education at the Federal Ministry of Education, Alausa further announced that another round of TETFund interventions would be released by September 2025, enabling JOSTUM to renovate hostels, classrooms, and other critical infrastructure.
