The Federal Government has earmarked N10 billion to commence commercial agricultural activities in ten Nigerian universities. This initiative aims to boost agricultural research and food security in the country.
The Executive Secretary of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), Arch. Sonny Echono, disclosed this on Thursday during the commissioning of the Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering building, constructed by TETFund at Joseph Sarwuan Tarka University, Makurdi.
According to the TETFund boss, the project was part of the 2023 annual intervention and was inaugurated as part of activities marking the university’s 26th–31st combined convocation ceremony.
Echono stated that the N10 billion intervention fund for commercial agriculture in ten Nigerian universities is an initiative of President Tinubu’s administration to help tertiary institutions become self-reliant.
He said:
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“When we met with Mr President, he specifically gave us the mandate to begin preparing our universities to become self-reliant and explore other relevant avenues to generate revenue instead of relying solely on government allocations.
Mr President asked us to identify universities with vast land that can be used for commercial agriculture, not only for the training of their students.”*
He added:
“As part of this year’s intervention, Mr President approved N10 billion for ten universities. Having seen the facilities here and considering that JOSTUM is an agricultural university, it will be one of them.
For instance, when examining nations such as the United States, merely 5% of their populace works in farming. By utilizing contemporary methods and technologies, these countries manage not just to sustain their own populations but also to export substantial quantities of food.
As a nation and as a government, we ought to welcome this opportunity. Numerous countries globally do not share our advantages. Given our abundant, arable lands and diligent populace, equipping them properly, training them effectively, and updating our agricultural practices could rapidly revamp our economic landscape.
You can start to demonstrate what’s possible so that others may emulate these examples, and collectively, we can shift the national story.”
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Echono praised the Vice-Chancellor for prudently utilizing funds from TETFund, emphasizing:
As someone rooted in this community, I’m especially pleased that we’re enhancing a university situated in our area.
During his address, Minister of Education Dr Maruf Tunji Alausa praised the university officials for their efficient use of the funds provided to the institution.
He mentioned that the facilities constructed and completed are considered key initiatives for 2023 and 2024.
Dr. Alausa, represented by Rakiyya Illyasu from the Federal Ministry of Education as the Director of University Education, encouraged other higher education institutions to follow JOSTUM’s example by furnishing essential facilities.
He said:
*I would like to applaud the university administration for their initiatives. They have made good use of the 2024 TETFund support to build high-quality facilities. Should other educational institutions adopt this approach, we could see significant improvements within the next fifteen years, raising overall academic standards.
By September 2025, an additional intervention will be deployed and utilized by JOSTUM for the refurbishment of infrastructure, encompassing amenities such as restrooms, dormitories, and various facilities.”
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