In a significant national intervention, the Federal Government of Nigeria has unveiled a major partnership with the UNESCO Read and Earn Federation (UNESCO REF) to empower 4.5 million Nigerians through a vast agricultural enterprise programme running until 2030. The initiative, announced in Abuja on Tuesday by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Food Security (SSAP-FS), Ogundipe, is designed as a core component of President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, elevating food security from a mere policy to a national security and empowerment strategy.
The programme is anchored on the UNESCO REF Strategic Intervention Programme, Alpha, Category II Framework, with a specific focus on the Young Women in Agriculture (YWA) component. This aligns directly with global sustainable development benchmarks, specifically the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 2: Zero Hunger and Goal 13: Climate Action, reinforcing Nigeria’s commitment to the UN 2030 Agenda.
Ms Ogundipe confirmed the presidency’s role in brokering the necessary financial support to ensure the programme’s successful execution. The intervention is structured for phased deployment: Phase One will provide financial backing for $3$ million Nigerians, followed by an additional $1.5$ million beneficiaries in Phase Two. These $4.5$ million participants are drawn from a broader national mobilisation campaign targeting $12$ million Nigerians by 2030. Key target demographics include young women, youth across the six geopolitical zones, and civil servants nearing retirement, providing a crucial post-service livelihood pathway.
A distinctive feature of the scheme is the provision of advanced training in hydroponic and agro-kenaf enterprise development. This instruction will equip participants with climate-smart agricultural skills, enabling them to build sustainable, modern agribusinesses resilient to climate shocks. The commercial viability of this training is highlighted by projections that beneficiaries engaged in the Kenaf enterprise are set to earn a minimum of ₦400,000 every $12$ weeks, providing a scalable pathway to financial independence.
This strategic empowerment effort, which saw participation from major stakeholders including the Police Officers’ Wives Association (POWA), Road Safety Officers’ Wives Association (ROSOWA), and the Maryam Babangida National Centre for Women Development (MBNCWD), is expected to generate billions of naira across new agricultural value chains. It aims to catalyse thousands of homegrown agribusinesses, stimulate inclusive economic growth, and significantly strengthen national food sovereignty. The SSAP-FS noted that the initiative is firmly rooted in the National Agricultural Technology and Innovation Policy (NATIP), underscoring a national priority for technological innovation in agriculture.
Speaking on the international dimension, UNESCO REF President Abdulsalami Ladigbolu-Oranmiyan lauded the programme as a model of international best practice. He stated that the initiative aligns Nigeria’s agricultural transformation not only with the UN 2030 Agenda but also with the African Union Agenda 2063, positioning the nation as a continental leader in agricultural innovation. The Federation’s commitment is to ensure the programme’s sustainability and global visibility, serving as a powerful instrument of stability, prosperity, and hope for millions in Nigeria and across Africa.
