Ogun inaugurates high-capacity poultry processing plant to improve food security
The Ogun State Government has unveiled a newly constructed poultry processing facility with the capacity to process 5,000 birds daily, translating to about 1.3 million birds annually, as part of efforts to enhance food security and reduce poultry importation.
The Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security, Bolu Owotomo, disclosed this during a tour of agricultural facilities in Odeda and Yewa South Local Government Areas of the state. The visit covered Ajegunle Farm Settlement, Eweje Farm Institute and Odo Fufu and marked the first phase of an inspection of ongoing and completed agricultural projects across the state.
Owotomo said the poultry processing facility at Ajegunle Farm Settlement was acquired under the World Bank-supported Ogun State Economic Transformation Project and would play a critical role in strengthening local poultry production and creating employment opportunities.
According to him, the Dapo Abiodun administration remains committed to supporting farmers and scaling up food production through strategic investments in agricultural infrastructure. He noted that the facility would help address the supply gap in the poultry sector and reduce reliance on imported poultry products.
The commissioner explained that Ajegunle Farm Settlement, which has been designated as a poultry hub, currently hosts about 400 resident farmers. He added that the provision of complementary infrastructure such as blast freezers, cold rooms, waste processing facilities, warehouses with fitted offices and poultry pens with a capacity of 20,000 birds had continued to attract private sector investment.
Owotomo revealed that a private investor had recently completed the construction of a 13,000-capacity poultry pen at the settlement, further underscoring its growing economic importance.
He also disclosed that the state government, through the Ogun State Economic Transformation Project, had completed 28 agricultural projects in the last two years. Other initiatives, including the Value Chain Development Programme, OG-CARES and the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones, he said, had contributed significantly to revitalising the agricultural sector.
The commissioner noted that Nigeria loses an estimated N3.5 trillion annually to post-harvest losses, adding that the state’s agricultural interventions were aimed at increasing productivity, improving farmers’ livelihoods and reducing such losses.
Owotomo highlighted Nigeria’s low per capita chicken consumption, estimated at between 1.7kg and 2kg, compared with 13kg in Ghana, 36kg in South Africa and 46kg in Brazil. He said that despite importing about 70 per cent of its poultry needs, Nigeria still lags behind in consumption due to supply constraints.
At the Eweje Farm Institute, Owotomo said the construction of 10 poultry pens with a capacity of 10,000 birds each, alongside five four-bedroom residential buildings, would further strengthen Ogun State’s position as Nigeria’s leading poultry hub.
He also inspected a cassava processing facility at Odo Fufu in Ilaro, Yewa South Local Government Area, noting that the project would enhance value addition and improve farmers’ incomes.
On sustainability, the commissioner said the government was encouraging farmers to take ownership of the facilities, with strong monitoring and evaluation mechanisms and public-private partnerships to ensure long-term viability.
In separate remarks, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Agriculture and Food Security, Dr Angel Adelaja, and the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Mrs Kehinde Jokotoye, said the projects would significantly boost agricultural productivity and strengthen the state’s economy.
Also speaking, the Principal of Odeda Training Institute, Mr Ademola Benco, and the Chairman of Ajegunle Farm Settlement, Mr Rotimi Sogunle, described the projects as unprecedented, noting that their full utilisation would further enhance agricultural production in Ogun State and Nigeria.