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, 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 to unlock investment, address structural challenges in agriculture, and develop 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 yet underutilised agricultural resources and comparative advantages in several food and cash crops that could strengthen 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.