- The NDDC Director of Agriculture and Fisheries, Dr. Winifred Madume, during an NDDC/IFAD oversight visit to Dumnial Farms Enterprise in Nyorkuru Community in Khana Local Government Area of Rivers State.
By Emmanuel Thomas
PORT HARCOURT – A massive agricultural “reboot” is sweeping across Nigeria’s oil-rich Niger Delta, as local leaders and international partners join forces to turn young villagers into “agripreneurs.”
The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has hit the ground running this week, conducting a high-stakes inspection of rural “incubation centres” across Akwa Ibom, Imo, and Rivers States.
The mission? To ensure the LIFE-ND project—a powerhouse collaboration between the Nigerian Government and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD)—is delivering on its promise to swap poverty for prosperity.
Forget old-school tilling; this is farming with a future.
From fish processing to high-tech garri marketing, the programme is designed to give the youth a “Renewed Hope” boost, aligning with the national agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
During a stop at Megalakes Farms in Ogu Town, Dr. Winifred Madume, Director of Agriculture and Fisheries, made it clear that the NDDC isn’t just writing cheques—they’re checking progress.
”This oversight is to ensure training is on track,” Dr. Madume said.
“We are committed to driving a rural economic transformation that actually reaches the people.”
The results are already cropping up. In Sogho, Rivers State, Nzhu Salome is one of the project’s rising stars. Once a trainee, she now runs her own successful garri marketing enterprise thanks to the funding and expertise provided.
Meanwhile, in Imo State, fish farmer Ibigineh Doreen credited the scheme with supercharging her venture.
“The progress is clear evidence that these opportunities are being effectively utilised,” noted Mr. Tonye Frank-Oputu, a senior director who joined the three-day tour.
Mr. Abi Morris, Special Assistant on Agriculture, summed up the mood of the inspection: “It goes beyond training—it’s about unlocking livelihoods and reshaping mindsets.”
With the third batch of trainees already mastering everything from production to marketing, the Niger Delta is proving it has more to offer the world than just crude oil.
