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| IITA- (International Institute of Tropical Agriculture Ibadan, Nigeria) |
By abdulsalam
Olawale
List of
10 Agriculture Opportunities In Nigeria, Farming in Nigeria has taken a dramatic
turn to a better direction in recent years, creating jobs and opportunities for
entrepreneurs who dare to go into farming business. Millionaires are currently
being made every year through farming in Nigeria and there is certainly no end
to the prospects of creating more wealth through farming in the coming years.
Agriculture opportunities in Nigeria, There are good reasons why
farming in Nigeria is doing very well. Understanding these reasons will help
you (no matter where you come from) to think seriously about setting up farm in
Nigeria.
1) There is no any other African country
where Farming is as viable as it is in Nigeria in terms of productivity and
profitability.
2) There is no other country where farmers
are more advantaged as they are in Nigeria as regards demands for the produce.
Take a look at my top five reasons why you must start Farming in Nigeria now.
Why Farming In Nigeria?
(1) Nigeria has a huge population of over
200 million people, twice more than the populations of Zimbabwe and South
Africa combined. The entire population of Nigeria depends on staple foods
produced from farms and other farm produces for their daily meals and
sustenance. More than 80 percent of Nigerians buy their farm produce from the
market.
(2) Nigeria has large expanses of fertile
farmlands laying fallow across the nation. Nigerian land area when measured in sq
km is about 910,770. The land area of any country is the country’s
total area, excluding areas that are considered to be water bodies. So, Nigeria
has one of the biggest expanse of Land in Africa of which 70 percent is
available for farming.
(3) Nigerian Government is seriously
turning its attention to promoting farming in Nigeria to help boost food
productions in the country and minimize food importation. The government is
willing to assist any would be farming entrepreneur/investors with the
necessary supports and logistics.
(4) Nigerians boasts the highest purchasing
power in Africa, far more than any other indigenous Africans. We buy things
here and we pay cash. Talk about parties, Nigeria is the most merriment people
on earth. The food used for parties and merriment in Nigeria can feed four
other African countries.
(5) By the time Nigeria attain its full
capacity utilization is agriculture, farming will become great foreign currency
earner more than the oil. The implication is that Nigerian farmers will be able
to earn in Naira and in Dollars as well as other foreign currencies.
List of 10 Agriculture Opportunities In Nigeria
The prospect for farming in Nigeria is so high that only a fool
will ignore it. Having said that, let’s take a closer look at some of the types
of Farming that does very well in Nigeria.
1. Rice
Farming
Nigeria has one of the world’s highest Rice consumption stat.
Rice is by far one of the most popular staple food among Nigerians. Almost
every family eats rice daily in Nigeria. In 2011 alone, Nigeria spent
N991billion on rice importation and the rice we import is said to be nothing
less than 10 years old in storage. That means we spent billions buying rice
that has since lost its nutritional values.
Any entrepreneur who goes into rice farming and get it right is
sure to be smiling to the bank. A bag of rice is currently sold for N13,000 to
N16,000 depending on the quality. A farmer who is able to invest in large scale
rice production in Nigeria and able to produce 100,000 Bags of processed Rice
in a year, sell at wholesale price of about N10,000 per bag, he will be making
10,000 x 100,000 = N1,000,000,000 ($3million)
You can achieve the above figures conveniently with less than
five hundred and fifty million Naira ($1.5 Million) capital investment. I am
currently looking for who to partner with in this. If you have the cash, I have
the logistics and good planning to achieve this result. Serious investors only!
2. Cassava Farming
The popularity of cassava as the major source of food for
Nigerians dates back to ages. Between Garri and Rice, it is hard to tell which
one is the most popular food in Nigeria. Both are the most consumed food
staples among the citizen. I think if one is the King the other should be the
Queen.
A bag of Garri costs almost
the same as a bag of rice. Apart from garri, there are countless of other food
stuffs that are processed from Cassava in Nigeria. The introduction of the high
yield species of Cassava has made it possible for Nigerian cassava farmers to
produce more cassava per plot. Nearly every land in Nigeria is good for growing
Cassava and 1 Acre, when properly planted and managed can produce thousands of
Naira worth of cassava in a year!
3. Plantain Plantation
One thing I like about Plantain is that when planted once, it
keeps producing year in year out for eternity. Like Rice and Garri, Plantain is
widely consumed in Nigeria. Any food that is popular in Nigeria is always a
huge income earner due to the population of the country.
I really haven’t seen Farmers in Nigeria taking advantage of the
opportunity in Plantain Farming to create wealth for themselves. Plantain is
highly priced in Nigeria and is always in high demand all year round. Fry it,
Boil it, Roast it — it will never get angry with you, that’s how liberal
Plantain is. I can tell you, Millions of Naira is currently lying fallow
untapped in this sector of Farming in Nigeria.
4. Poultry Farming
Everyone knows how
profitable poultry farming is, it doesn’t need much introduction. Yet, it is
still not fully tapped. What we currently have is few badly managed, scantily
equipped poultry farms here and there. I’m yet to see a full fledged, high tech
poultry farm except Obasanjo Farm.
Entrepreneur who is able to fire up serious
investment into this
sector will have huge profit to contend with. The reason is because Nigerians
eat chicken more than snakes does and 70% of our consumption still based on
importation. The egg is yet another goldmine!
5. Pineapple Farming
Money is sweet, everything sweet is money, and Pineapple is
sweet. Ask any Australian Farmer and he will tell you how huge the income in
Pineapple farming is in their country. Any juice maker that doesn’t have
Pineapple flavor variety in his product line is not yet in business. That tells
you how popular Pineapple is, not only in Nigeria but worldwide.
Nigeria seems to have better soil for Pineapple Farming than Australia
where Farmers are making it big in the business. A Pineapple sells in Mile-12
market in Lagos for about N200. If you are able to harvest one million in a
year, you will earn at least N80 x 1,000,000 = N80,000,000
6. Beans Farming
Another agriculture opportunities in Nigeria is beans farming, A bag of Beans cost twice more than a bag of Rice and Garri.
The Northern Nigerians are making it big in Beans Farming, supplying almost all
over Nigeria and beyond. But one thing is that, this same Beans also can do
very well in the South East, South West, and South South Nigeria soils. So why
only the North?
7. Catfish Farming
Catfish Business is
really hyping in Nigeria right now but how many are really getting it right? Get it right and you’re in money. A single Catfish sells for N700 in Restaurants and about N400 in open market.
8. Goat Rearing
Goat rearing is another agriculture opportunities in Nigeria, Its only
in the North that goat is reared in commercial quantity. I don’t know why we
are so looking down on farm investment in the South even though there are
millions to be made in this business. Why would you chose to sell used shoes in
Oshodi and make few thousands of Naira every year when you could engage in
productive farming business and make millions of Naira?
In The USA and Australia, Farmers are among the Richest people –
Get involved in professional goat rearing and make money for yourself. A full
grown goat sells for between N15,000 to N40,000
9. Snail Farming
I see Snail
Farming really picking up in Nigeria very soon — but if you don’t hurry up, others will make all
the money before you realize what you are missing. The potential in this
business for you is about N50,000,000 Annual revenue.
10. Maize Farming
Maize farming is
major agriculture opportunities in Nigeria, You will never know the profit in
Maize Farming in Nigeria until you try it. One thing I like about maize is that
everything happens fast. It takes less than Four months between planting and
harvesting.
Get involved in any of these farming businesses in Nigeria today and you will never regret it.
