NASENI begins construction of Agricultural Incubation Centre at University of Abuja

The National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) has commenced construction of a state-of-the-art Agricultural Incubation Centre at the University of Abuja, Gwagwalada, as part of efforts to strengthen food security and drive agribusiness innovation in Nigeria.

The project, sited on a 10-hectare parcel of land within the university campus, is designed as a technology-driven, commercially oriented agricultural hub integrating poultry production, aquaculture, crop cultivation and research-based innovation. When completed, the facility is expected to serve as a model for replication across the country’s six geopolitical zones.

Speaking on the initiative, the Acting Coordinating Director of the Engineering Infrastructure Directorate at NASENI headquarters, Dr Abdulrasheed Agavah, said the centre would comprise an agribusiness training and incubation facility alongside three commercially sustainable production centres. These include broiler and layer poultry units, a high-tunnel greenhouse farm, catfish and tilapia fish farms, a tissue culture laboratory, administrative buildings and open-field cultivation supported by drip irrigation and modern agricultural technologies.

According to Agavah, the centre is aimed at boosting food production, supporting innovation, and strengthening Nigeria’s food security agenda by bridging academic research and commercial agriculture.

Meanwhile, Kaduna State Governor, Uba Sani, has disclosed that a proposed $200 million Mega Poultry Project in the state is expected to generate at least $450 million in annual revenue and create more than 350,000 direct and indirect jobs.

The governor made this known during a meeting with the Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Mukhar Maiha, held to align federal and state efforts ahead of the project’s groundbreaking. He said the initiative would strengthen food security, empower smallholder farmers and position Kaduna State as a leading hub for modern agribusiness in Africa.

Governor Sani also expressed appreciation to President Bola Tinubu for selecting Kaduna State to spearhead the initiative, noting that the project aligns with the Federal Government’s broader food security and economic development objectives under the Renewed Hope Agenda.