The Presidency and the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) have unveiled an ambitious plan to mobilise $500 million in agricultural investments into the Niger Delta, declaring the region secure and ready to emerge as Nigeria’s next major agribusiness hub.

The initiative, a collaboration between the Office of the Vice President and the NDDC, will be unveiled at the inaugural Niger Delta Agriculture Development and Investment Summit scheduled for July 15 at the State House Conference Centre, Abuja.

The summit, themed “Unlocking Investment for Sustainable Agricultural Transformation in the Niger Delta,” is expected to attract about 500 participants, including global investors, development finance institutions, agribusiness firms, policymakers, development partners and regional stakeholders.

Addressing State House Correspondents at the Presidential Villa, in Abuja, Deputy Chief of Staff to the President, Senator Ibrahim Hadejia, described the summit as a major milestone in President Bola Tinubu’s economic diversification agenda, saying it reflects the administration’s determination to transform agriculture into a driver of inclusive growth, food security and job creation.

He said the initiative enjoys presidential endorsement and will provide a high-level platform for unlocking investment, addressing structural challenges in agriculture and developing practical strategies to reposition the Niger Delta as a major agricultural production and export zone.

“The summit represents a strategic shift from potential to performance, from conversation to capital and from fragmentation to coordination. It aligns squarely with the national vision of building a resilient, diversified and inclusive Nigerian economy, with agriculture as a central driver,” Hadejia said.

He noted that although the Niger Delta is widely known for its hydrocarbon wealth, the region possesses enormous but underutilised agricultural resources and comparative advantages in several food and cash crops capable of strengthening Nigeria’s food security and export earnings.

According to him, the Federal Government’s agricultural agenda extends to every part of the country and recognises the Niger Delta as a critical component of Nigeria’s long-term agricultural transformation.

Also speaking, NDDC Managing Director, Dr. Samuel Ogbuku, said the commission is targeting a $500 million investment fund to catalyse commercial agriculture across the nine Niger Delta states.

According to him, the summit is designed as an investment marketplace rather than another policy conference, bringing together investors, financiers and development partners to unlock capital for agriculture.

“We are moving agriculture in the Niger Delta from subsistence to large-scale commercial production. The target is to mobilise a $500 million investment fund that will catalyse agricultural development across the region,” Ogbuku said.

He explained that Abuja was deliberately chosen to host the summit because it provides easy access to diplomatic missions, donor agencies, development finance institutions and international investors expected to participate.

“It is a global programme. We are bringing the Niger Delta to where the capital is. Most of the investors, donor agencies and international organisations are based in Abuja. Holding the summit here makes participation easier and significantly reduces logistics costs,” he said.

Ogbuku added that the partnership with the Office of the Vice President provides strategic leadership for the initiative, given Vice President Kashim Shettima’s role in coordinating key federal economic and food security programmes.

The NDDC boss said the commission is replacing traditional intervention programmes with sustainable financing models capable of attracting private capital and delivering long-term economic benefits.

He disclosed that the proposed investment fund would be professionally managed in line with international best practices and would combine equity participation with direct capital mobilisation rather than conventional government lending.

According to him, the commission has already established the Niger Delta Chamber of Commerce as a vehicle for structured financing of agribusinesses and provided it with N5 billion to support small and medium-scale enterprises under a transparent, repayable financing framework.

He said the commission is also promoting out-grower schemes linking farmers with guaranteed off-takers while partnering private investors to establish modern storage facilities to reduce post-harvest losses and improve farmers’ incomes.

Drawing lessons from previous interventions, Ogbuku said successful agricultural development requires strengthening every segment of the value chain, recalling that an NDDC-supported rice mill in Rivers State struggled because of inadequate supply of paddy.

“You cannot build processing facilities without guaranteeing raw materials. Development works only when every component of the value chain functions together,” he said.

He added that the commission remains a co-funder of the International Fund for Agricultural Development-supported LIFE-ND Programme and continues to support smallholder farmers across the region.

While acknowledging the growing industrial demand for cassava, Ogbuku stressed the need to balance industrial processing with domestic food security.

“We must strike a balance between industrial use and food security because cassava remains a staple food for our people,” he said.

On security, the NDDC chief declared that improved peace and stability had made the Niger Delta one of Nigeria’s most attractive destinations for investment.

“I can confidently say today that the Niger Delta is one of the safest regions in Nigeria for investment. We want investors to know that the region is secure and ready for large-scale agriculture,” he said.

He disclosed that all nine Niger Delta states endorsed the initiative during a regional retreat, describing the summit as a collective strategy to unlock investment, create jobs, strengthen food security and reposition the Niger Delta as a leading contributor to Nigeria’s agricultural economy.