Nigeria is targeting youth unemployment with a new agribusiness land trust fund, partnering with the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture to turn 42 youth development centers into farming hubs.
Speaking at the official launch of the initiative on Monday in Abuja, Ayodele Olawande, Minister of Youth Development, said the initiative will expand land access and boost productivity, addressing joblessness that affects more than 40 percent of young Nigerians.
Olawande announced ambitious targets under the programme, training and empowering six million young Nigerians in agribusiness over the next three years, supporting the creation and formalisation of at least 500,000 youth-led agribusiness enterprises, and linking young entrepreneurs to both local and international markets.
“Nigeria’s success in agriculture is linked to access to finance, land, technical training, modern technology, mechanisation, climate-smart solutions, value chain integration, and reliable markets,” he said.
The minister identified limited access to land as the biggest barrier preventing young Nigerians from venturing into agriculture, despite the sector’s huge potential.
