Nigeria is set to enter into a partnership with the United Kingdom’s Zander Corporation to transform agricultural practices and restore degraded lands in the country’s most vulnerable ecological zones.

This is just as Vice President Kashim Shettima has said the Federal Government remains steadfast in its commitment to afforestation as a key strategy in combating desertification, promoting sustainable land use, and ensuring long-term agricultural productivity.

Shettima stated this yesterday during a meeting with the management of the biotechnology company led by Lord Raymond Benedict Asquith, the 3rd Earl of Oxford, and Asquith OBE, a member of the UK House of Lords at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

“There is a critical intersection between innovative technology and efforts at combating desertification and agricultural transformation in this country. As a nation committed to afforestation and sustainable land use, we recognise the value of partnerships that introduce cutting-edge technologies like those from Zander Corporation,” Shettima stated.

As part of the collaboration, Zander Corporation has donated £250,000 worth of afforestation technology products to Nigeria.

Shettima noted the need to maximise the potential of the five-hectare pilot project, suggesting diversification into vegetable production and tree crops such as cashew, which has a high global demand.

Earlier in his remarks, Lord Oxford reaffirmed Zander Corporation’s dedication to Nigeria’s agricultural transformation, explaining that the company has been in the country for over 12 years.

He explained that the corporation had recorded successes in desert states such as Saudi Arabia, Morocco, Libya, and Southern Spain, where its technology has significantly reduced irrigation costs and established sustainable vegetation in arid soils.

Lord Oxford stated: “We see Nigeria as a prime location for our work. The country is ready for the kind of results we have delivered elsewhere. Our operations in the Middle East and North Africa have proven effective in reducing irrigation costs and enhancing agricultural sustainability.

“We also see opportunities for manufacturing our products in Nigeria, reducing costs, and creating employment. Nigeria’s vast land resources make it an ideal location for this kind of investment. We are excited about the potential of this partnership to transform the landscape and the economy.”

Also speaking, the Director-General of the National Agency for the Great Green Wall (NAGGW), Saleh Abubakar, confirmed the agency’s commitment to implementing Zander Corporation’s technology.