The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has called on local and international investors to tap into the vast agricultural potential of the Niger Delta, describing the region as one of Nigeria’s most promising frontiers for sustainable agricultural investment and agro-industrial development.
The call was made at the Niger Delta Agricultural Development and Investment Summit 2026, held at the Banquet Hall of the State House, Presidential Villa, Abuja. The summit, organised by the NDDC in collaboration with the Office of the Vice President, was themed: “Unlocking Investment for Sustainable Agricultural Transformation in the Niger Delta.”
NDDC Highlights Region’s Natural Advantages
Speaking at the event, the NDDC Director of Agriculture and Fisheries, Dr. Winifred Madume, said the Niger Delta possesses the natural and economic fundamentals required to attract investment, including fertile agricultural land, abundant freshwater resources, diverse ecological zones, extensive coastlines and inland waterways, as well as strategic access to domestic and export markets across its nine mandate states.
She said the region offers enormous opportunities across crop production, aquaculture, livestock, agro-processing and agricultural trade, stressing that the challenge has never been a lack of potential but inadequate investment to unlock available opportunities.
According to Madume, agriculture has evolved into a strategic investment sector globally, making the summit an important platform for bringing together government, development partners and private investors to foster collaboration and create an enabling environment for sustainable agricultural growth.
She identified fisheries and aquaculture, crop value addition, livestock development and agricultural infrastructure as priority investment areas, noting that Nigeria’s continued dependence on imported fish underscores the need to expand local production, processing and distribution. She added that greater economic value would come from processing agricultural produce into finished products rather than exporting raw commodities.
Madume also stressed the importance of investing in critical infrastructure such as roads, power supply, irrigation systems, storage facilities and processing centres, describing them as essential for building a competitive agricultural economy capable of attracting long-term private capital. She invited both local and international investors to partner with the region through investments in technology, capital and expertise to accelerate food production, create jobs and strengthen Nigeria’s food security.
Board Chairman: Niger Delta Is More Than Oil and Gas
In his goodwill message, the Chairman of the Governing Board of the NDDC, Mr. Chiedu Ebie, said the Niger Delta should be recognised not only for its oil and gas resources but also for its vast agricultural potential.
He noted that although the region has always been endowed with fertile land, abundant water resources and a youthful population, what has been lacking is the coordination, institutional framework and partnerships required to transform agriculture into a commercially viable sector.
Ebie said the summit reflects a renewed commitment to strengthening agricultural value chains, promoting collaboration among governments, development partners and private investors, and supporting commercially viable projects capable of attracting sustainable investment. He reaffirmed the Commission’s commitment to initiatives that will reposition agriculture as a profitable business, while expressing appreciation to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Vice President Kashim Shettima and the governors of the nine Niger Delta states for supporting the initiative.
Origin Tech Chairman: Lack of Structure, Not Potential, Is the Real Problem
Delivering the keynote address titled “Niger Delta: Awakening an Agricultural Giant,” the Founder and Executive Chairman of Origin Tech Group, Prince S.J. Samuel, identified weak institutional structures rather than a lack of natural resources as the biggest obstacle to agricultural transformation in the Niger Delta. He urged stakeholders to build an organised agricultural ecosystem capable of attracting long-term investment.
Samuel described the Niger Delta as one of Africa’s most resource-rich regions, with vast fisheries resources, fertile land and favourable ecological conditions capable of supporting large-scale agricultural production.
He noted that successive interventions by governments and development agencies, including the provision of tractors, farm inputs and other support programmes, have not produced the desired transformation because they largely failed to address structural challenges within the agricultural sector.
Samuel argued that agriculture has evolved beyond subsistence farming into a globally competitive business driven by efficient value chains, modern infrastructure and organised markets, stressing that Nigeria must adopt a more structured approach to remain competitive. He said improving coordination across the agricultural value chain would reduce risks for farmers and investors while creating an environment that encourages commercial agriculture and private sector participation.
Speaking on the role of the private sector, Samuel said Origin Tech Group is investing in agricultural mechanisation, food systems, logistics and infrastructure to strengthen Nigeria’s agricultural value chain. He maintained that modern infrastructure, alongside effective institutional frameworks, is essential for unlocking opportunities for farmers, agribusinesses and investors.
He urged the NDDC and other stakeholders to champion policies and investments that prioritise structure, mechanisation and value-chain development, insisting that such reforms would position the Niger Delta as a major agricultural and food production hub. With the right policies, infrastructure and private sector collaboration, he added, the Niger Delta has the capacity to become one of Nigeria’s leading centres for agricultural production, agro-processing and investment.
A Shared Vision for Transformation
Together, the remarks from NDDC officials and the private sector painted a consistent picture, the Niger Delta’s agricultural promise is not in question, but unlocking it will require deliberate investment in infrastructure, stronger institutional coordination and structured value chains, alongside genuine collaboration between government and private investors.
The summit brought together policymakers, development partners, financial institutions and agribusiness stakeholders to explore practical strategies for mobilising investment, expanding agricultural value chains and accelerating sustainable agricultural transformation across the Niger Delta.
