Nigeria has unveiled a $500 million Niger Delta Agricultural Investment Fund, marking one of its biggest agriculture-focused investment initiatives as the government looks to diversify the economy beyond oil and strengthen food security.
Vice President Kashim Shettima announced the fund on Wednesday at the Niger Delta Agricultural Development and Investment Summit in Abuja, describing agriculture as a critical pillar of Nigeria's long-term economic transformation. The initiative is designed to increase food production, unlock private capital and position the oil-producing Niger Delta as a major agribusiness hub.
A commercial investment model
Unlike traditional government intervention programmes, the fund will operate as a commercial, returns-driven investment vehicle, financing projects across the agricultural value chain.
Investment will target high-potential sectors including aquaculture, palm oil, livestock, fisheries, marine resources and crop production. According to Shettima, financing will come from a mix of multilateral development institutions—including the World Bank, African Development Bank and Islamic Development Bank—alongside private investors. He did not disclose how much each institution would contribute or the fund's ownership structure.
