Abuja: Dr. Abiodun Sanni, the National Project Coordinator of the Federal Government/IFAD-Livelihood Improvement Family Enterprises in the Niger Delta (LIFE-ND), has announced that the project has successfully increased the household incomes of its beneficiaries by 50 per cent. This announcement was made during the Federal Government/IFAD-LIFE-ND High-Level Event on Scaling Up Youth Agripreneurship for Food Systems Transformation held in Abuja.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the event was organized by the Federal Government in collaboration with the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), IFAD, and the LIFE-ND program. Dr. Sanni presented a paper discussing the project’s key achievements, lessons learned, and strategies for scaling up sustainable youth agripreneurship and food system transformation in Nigeria. He highlighted that the income gains from the project have significantly contributed to poverty reduction and community resilience across the Niger Delta region.
The project has also successfully created over 23,751 direct jobs within rural communities across nine participating states, including Abia, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Edo, Imo, Ondo, and Rivers. Dr. Sanni listed additional achievements, such as enterprise development support through start-up capital, production inputs, market linkages, aggregation centers, value addition, and agro-processing platforms.
Dr. Sanni emphasized the project’s commitment to environmental and gender impacts, ensuring at least 50 per cent gender inclusion in beneficiary selection. The project has promoted green practices, waste recycling, and environmental resilience within the Niger Delta ecosystem, along with the provision of rural market infrastructures to support ongoing economic growth and livelihoods.
The project has also advanced climate-smart agriculture, improved seed varieties, mechanization, and digital business tools. ICT-based platforms have been used for mentoring, extension advisory, and financial inclusion. Dr. Sanni noted that treating agriculture as a business, rather than a social intervention, is crucial, with mentorship-based incubation as the most effective entry point for youth in agriculture.
He identified access to finance as the biggest barrier, highlighting the importance of credit guarantees and flexible funding windows. Value-chain integration reduces youth drop-out rates and ensures sustainability, while community ownership enhances success and reduces conflict. Digital technologies have become essential for driving efficiency, traceability, and market access, and public-private partnerships are vital for scaling impact.
Dr. Sanni concluded by stating that the LIFE-ND project demonstrates that with the right model, Nigerian youth can transition from job seekers to agripreneurs, strengthening the country’s food system. He expressed confidence that with sustained commitment, expanded partnerships, and scaling strategies, the LIFE-ND project will evolve into a national model for agricultural prosperity, food security, and economic resilience.
Chief Samuel Ogbuku, Managing Director of NDDC, also spoke at the event, affirming the project’s mandate to create a new generation of agripreneurs by equipping youth and women with skills, finance, mentorship, and market integration.