Nigeria's Alausa Launches Agricultural Programme in Universities

Nigeria's Minister, Alausa, announced a partnership with the Bank of Agriculture to initiate the Renewed Hope Tertiary Agricultural and Entrepreneurship Programme, which will convert underused farmland on university campuses into productive commercial farms. This initiative, shared on Alausa's official X account on November 4, 2026, aims to equip five million Nigerians with practical skills by 2030.

The programme will initially involve 20 tertiary institutions, targeting over 500,000 hectares of idle farmland. Each participating institution will receive between N1 billion and N2 billion in financing, along with support such as tractors, modern farming equipment, improved seedlings, irrigation facilities, and technical assistance.

The programme is designed to benefit students, unemployed graduates, and alumni, providing them with hands-on agricultural experience. Additionally, staff and community residents will also participate in the farming activities.

Alausa emphasized that the initiative aims to bridge the gap between academic study and real-world enterprise, positioning Nigerian tertiary institutions as hubs of agricultural innovation and job creation.