—Facility to boost research, jobs, and Cross River’s oil palm potential

Cross River State Governor, Senator Bassey Otu, has approved the release of N355.31 million for the construction of a state-of-the-art Administrative and Laboratory Complex for the Nigerian Institute for Oil Palm Research, NIFOR, outstation at Creek Town, Odukpani Local Government Area.

The approval was granted at the State Executive Council meeting following a memorandum presented by the Commissioner for Agriculture and Irrigation Development, Mr. Johnson Ebokpo.

The project includes modern laboratories, an administrative block, and staff accommodation.

According to government, the facility is designed to strengthen agricultural research, scientific innovation, and technology dissemination, while unlocking Cross River’s vast potential in oil palm production and other agricultural value chains.

Governor Otu said the intervention reflected his administration’s determination to move agriculture from subsistence to a modern, technology-driven sector capable of generating wealth, creating jobs, and guaranteeing food security.

“Cross River cannot fully realise its agricultural potential without investing in the science, technology and infrastructure that drive modern agriculture,” the Governor said.

The NIFOR complex will provide a platform for research into: improved and climate-resilient oil palm varieties, effective disease management and crop protection, specialised nursery development, modern agronomic practices to raise productivity
and downstream processing technologies.

It is also expected to serve as an institutional hub for collaboration among research institutes, universities, international development partners, and private agribusinesses in developing mechanisation models, climate-smart farming solutions, and disease-control protocols.

The project aligns with priorities of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security and resolutions of the 47th National Council on Agriculture on food security, market systems, and climate-smart practices.

Officials noted that Cross River has a comparative advantage in oil palm production due to favourable agro-ecological conditions, extensive land, and opportunities for high-yield hybrid seedlings.

The Creek Town-Odukpani-Calabar corridor was described as strategically suited to host a major agricultural research hub for the state and the wider South-South region.

Beyond research, the facility is expected to stimulate investment across the oil palm value chain by facilitating the production and distribution of certified, high-quality seedlings and providing technical support to farmers and investors.

Governor Otu said the project has a strong youth and employment component, with plans for agricultural extension, vocational training, and youth agripreneurship.

“Our objective is not simply to construct another government facility. We are building an institution that will generate knowledge, support farmers, attract investors and create opportunities for our young people,” he said.

The state government said the complex will deepen Cross River’s position as a major agricultural investment destination in the South-South, strengthen the oil palm value chain, improve food security, and create jobs.