In a bid to enhance food production and empower smallholder farmers, President Bola Tinubu’s administration has approved multi-billion naira grants for two federal universities of agriculture.
This was disclosed over the weekend by Doyin Johnson, a governing council member of the Federal University of Agriculture, Bayelsa State.
Johnson made the announcement during the swearing-in ceremony of the 2025 Honour of State Icons and the presentation of certificates of return to various zonal, state, and local government executive councils by the Intellectual Elite Youth Association of Nigeria (IEYAN) in Lagos.
According to Johnson, these grants are part of President Tinubu’s strategic efforts to reduce Nigeria’s dependency on imported food and oil.
The funding will support the country’s agricultural transformation, in line with the administration’s goal of boosting food security.
Johnson, who is also a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), emphasized that the grants align with President Tinubu’s commitment to ensuring that the country’s agricultural sector thrives and that smallholder farmers benefit directly from government initiatives.
In his address, Johnson praised President Tinubu for his leadership and foresight, urging Nigerians to support the president in his efforts to reshape the country’s future.
He encouraged citizens to remain patient as the president tackles the numerous challenges inherited from past administrations, stressing that the ongoing reforms will yield positive results in due course.
“President Tinubu is not someone who was unprepared for this role. He has been strategically preparing for years to lead this country. He knows exactly what needs to be done to implement reforms,” Johnson stated.
Johnson further highlighted that President Tinubu’s administration had already made strides in addressing long-standing issues, such as the controversial oil subsidy scam.
“It was President Tinubu who took the bold step to address the oil subsidy scam, a problem that previous administrations ignored. The cabals who benefited from this scam were upset by the president’s actions, but it was essential for the nation’s future,” he explained.
He went on to point out that, under past administrations, Nigeria’s crude oil was used as collateral for loans, with the debt only being settled in August 2024.
A significant focus of President Tinubu’s reform agenda, according to Johnson, is the agricultural sector.
He announced that the president had approved N2.64 billion for agricultural development and food surplus initiatives for the Federal University of Agriculture in Bayelsa, with similar funding of N7 billion allocated to the Federal University of Agriculture in Abeokuta.
These investments, Johnson explained, are set to have a positive impact on Nigeria’s agricultural productivity and will help bring down the cost of food products. “When farmers in Abeokuta can sell rice at a lower price, it will drive prices down across the country,” he noted.
Johnson also criticized the previous neglect of Nigeria’s agricultural sector, which he claimed had been overlooked by those more interested in profiting from the country’s oil and mining resources.
He pointed out the lack of investment in agriculture, noting that unscrupulous individuals had exploited the country’s mineral resources, particularly gold, without contributing to the nation’s economy.
“They were exporting our gold and other minerals, free of charge, without paying any taxes or royalties. But under President Tinubu, this exploitation has stopped. All mining licenses have been revoked, and the government is now renewing them properly,” Johnson explained.
Looking ahead, Johnson expressed optimism for the future, citing the introduction of student loans by the Tinubu administration as another historic achievement.
“These loans are the first of their kind in Nigeria,” he said, emphasizing that they represent a step toward making education more accessible to Nigerian students.
He concluded by urging Nigerians both at home and in the diaspora to rally behind President Tinubu, asserting that the country is on the brink of a brighter future.
“Next year will be better than this year. I urge everyone to support President Tinubu’s vision for a prosperous Nigeria,” he stated.