Abandoned agricultural projects: A blow to Nigeria’s food security

By our reporters

Nigeria’s agricultural sector is facing a significant setback due to the abandonment of several high-profile projects aimed at boosting food security and promoting agricultural development.

This is the outcome of extensive research by AgricNews Digest. One notable example is the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security headquarters, a ₦7 billion building that was abandoned due to insufficient space for the ministry’s departments. The government is said to be planning to sell the property and allocate ₦5.67 billion for a new headquarters, raising concerns about the country’s prioritisation of agricultural development.

The Integrated Agricultural Silo Complex Project in Oyo State is another example of a project that has fallen victim to abandonment. Despite spending ₦1.5 billion, the project was abandoned, prompting the Oyo State House of Assembly to call for an audit. Similarly, the Damau Household Dairy Farm Project in Kaduna, a ₦10.5 billion project aimed at promoting dairy farming, was abandoned, with only 20 farmhouses completed out of the 1,000 planned.

Other abandoned projects include the Sawonjo Farm Settlement in Ogun State, which was established to promote agriculture but has been left to deteriorate, and the Acharaugo Emekuku Integrated Farm Estate in Imo State, which has been abandoned for 30 years but is now being reactivated by the Federal Government.

The Katanga Dam Project in Nasarawa State, a ₦184 million dam project meant to provide irrigation infrastructure, was abandoned, leaving farmers without access to water. The Ballah Irrigation Project in Kwara State met a similar fate, having been abandoned after ₦90 million was paid to the contractor.

These abandoned projects have resulted in significant financial losses and missed opportunities for agricultural development, exacerbating Nigeria’s food security challenges. The reasons behind these abandonments are complex and multifaceted, ranging from inadequate funding to poor project management.