Aare Afe Babalola Invests N100m in Ekiti Farmers' Prizes

Aare Afe Babalola, SAN, Founder and Chancellor of Afe Babalola University in Ado-Ekiti, announced that over N100 million has been allocated for cash prizes to farmers across the 16 Local Government Areas of Ekiti State since the inception of the Afe Babalola Agric Expo (ABAEX) in 2015. At the grand finale of the 2026 ABAEX, he revealed that N11.2 million was distributed to winners this year.

Babalola plans to establish an Ekiti Farmers’ House in Ado-Ekiti to promote modern agriculture, empower farmers, and attract youth to the sector. The Farmers’ House will serve as a secretariat and provide access to modern agricultural equipment at affordable rates.

The prize system has evolved, with the overall Best Farmer now receiving N2 million, and the top three farmers in each local government area receiving N200,000, N100,000, and N50,000 respectively. This initiative aims to restore dignity to farming and encourage a return to agriculture among Nigerians.