Video - Nigerian farmers look to capitalize on rising cocoa prices

Nigeria's cocoa industry is booming as prices hit record highs. However, behind the price surge lie challenges and opportunities as farmers face significant rewards and risks in this volatile market.

CGTN

Nigeria receives first consignment of Belarusian agricultural machinery

Nigeria has received the first shipment of Belarusian agricultural machinery, including 2,000 tractors and over 9,000 pieces of agricultural equipment. 

The delivery is part of a large-scale cooperation agreement between the two countries aimed at modernising Nigeria's agricultural sector. This is reported by DNE Africa, a partner of TV BRICS.
The delivery, made as part of the agreement signed in September 2024, is an important step in Nigeria's efforts to modernise agriculture.

Nigerian Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Abubakar Kyari, confirmed the arrival of the shipment, noting that the partnership with Belarus will enhance the use of mechanised agriculture, increase food production, and improve the overall efficiency of the agricultural sector.

The plan envisages ensuring Nigerian farmers have access to modern agricultural tools, increasing crop yields, and boosting food production. In addition to machinery, the agreement includes training programmes conducted by Belarusian agricultural experts to upgrade the skills of Nigerian farmers in mechanised farming techniques.

TV BRICS

German automaker, Volkswagen set to begin e-tractor manufacturing in Nigeria

 

Volkswagen's introduction of e-tractors in Nigeria is a significant step towards enhancing agricultural mechanization in the country.

Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hon. Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, disclosed the development after a meeting with Germany's Minister of State, Mrs. Katja Keul, at the G20 Foreign Ministers' Meeting.

“We welcomed Volkswagen’s plans to introduce e-tractors to Nigeria, backed by the German government, as part of efforts to enhance agricultural mechanization,” Tuggar said.

The initiative is part of ongoing efforts by Nigeria and Germany to strengthen economic and industrial ties, with a focus on economic partnerships, regional security, and cultural collaboration.

Volkswagen's e-tractors are expected to revolutionize Nigeria’s agricultural sector by enhancing mechanization and boosting productivity.

Nigeria’s automotive industry

Despite the presence of local players in the industry, Nigeria has struggled to attract leading global manufacturers due to the non-implementation of the Auto Industry Development Plan.

Experts argue that the growth of the country’s automotive sector hinges on the full implementation of the Nigeria Auto Industry Development Plan, which has been approved by the Federal Executive Council but has yet to be signed into law.

Last year, Nigeria missed the opportunity to host Volkswagen’s new Body Shop and Assembly Plant, as the automaker instead finalized an agreement with the Egyptian government for its establishment.

The agreement followed Egypt’s introduction of the Automotive Industry Development Programme (AIDP), designed to promote local value addition, increase vehicle production, attract investment, and improve emission standards in the automotive sector.


Volkswagen’s return to Nigeria after decades signals growing confidence in the country’s economy after years of mismanagement and instability.

Volkswagen’s footprint in Africa

Volkswagen has established a new "Sub-Saharan" region, encompassing all countries south of the Sahara, to strengthen its presence and operations across Africa.

The newly formed Volkswagen Group Africa will oversee the company’s vision and strategic direction on the continent, where the brand has enjoyed decades of success.

Currently, Volkswagen operates manufacturing and assembly facilities in South Africa, Kenya, Rwanda, and Ghana. In Rwanda, the company has been providing mobility solutions since 2018.

Notably, Volkswagen has already piloted a similar initiative in Rwanda, known as the GenFarm Project, which offers e-powered mechanized farming services to rural areas.

Last year, the group announced the start of operations of its multifunctional facility to pilot modern farming with e-tractors in Africa. The facility is in Gashora, Rwanda, about 60km from the capital, Kigali.

The project features e-tractors with swappable batteries, making sustainable farming more accessible and affordable for local farmers.

By Solomon Ekanem, Business Insider Africa

Video - Nigeria launches program to accelerate agricultural export

The government-led initiative dubbed the "Earn from the Soil" program focuses on improving processing facilities, strengthening export infrastructure, and empowering smallholder farmers to shift the focus from subsistence farming to a profitable export-driven sector. So far, it has scaled up several small-scale subsistence businesses and increased interest in high-value crops like cocoa, sesame seeds, cashews, and ginger.

CGTN

Nigeria ranks first in cassava production, yet imports

Although Nigeria is ranked number one in cassava production globally, she imported about $54, 200 in cassava in 2022, becoming the 121st largest importer of cassava in the world.

This was disclosed at the Ist National Conference of Industrial Cassava Stakeholders Association of Nigeria (ICSAN) titled “The Golden Crop: Harnessing the Economic Potential of Cassava for National Development through Industrialization,” which held at Ikeja, Lagos.

Delivering a keynote address at the conference on the theme, Prof. Lateef Oladimeji Sanni, President, International Society for Tropical Root Crops, International Institute of Tropical Agriculture and Executive Director, Nigerian Stored Products Research Institute, Ilorin and Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, also said Nigeria exported $733, 000 in cassava in the same year, making it the 61st largest exporter of cassava in the world.

After the President of ICSAN, Mr. Segun Ladele, gave the opening address, Prof Oladimeji further gave an insight into the cassava industry and its significance to Nigeria’s economy.

He defined industrialization as “the mass production of goods in a factory system, which involves some degree of mechanized production technology,” saying industrialisation enables the business environment, promotes private sector leadership, facilitates renewal for sunset industries, and encourages innovators.
According to Oladimeji, as at 2022, cassava was the 1063rd most imported product in Nigeria.

“Nigeria,” he said, “imports cassava primarily from United Kingdom ($49.2k), Brazil ($2.68k), Cameroon (1.91k), Niger ($321), and Belgium ($33).

He said Egypt is the only African country ranked among the world’s top ten highest exporters of cassava, with an export value of $81.8 million with less than 1% share (0.94%) of the total producers and export value of cassava in Africa and globally.

Apart from garri, lafun, fufu, etc., cassava products have a wide range of value chain such as in the making of bread, cake, candies, ice cream, beverages, fuel ethanol, animal feeds, furniture, paper and wood. All these lead to job creation, food security and incomes for farmers.

He identified some of the challenges facing cassava production in Nigeria as government inconsistent policy, increase in foreign exchange in the course of the project implementation, destruction of cassava farmland by cattle herdsmen, insecurity and communal clashes, lack of infrastructural facilities, little access to credit facilities, and lack of enough partnership and collaboration.

He proposed packaging differentiation, product diversification, regional standards and quality control, appropriate processing equipment, viable regulatory system, capacity building, and marketing channels as the way forward for the cassava industry in Nigeria.

He also prescribed that “government MUST be the catalyst, enabler and regulator of the cassava industry. There is the need for key players to ensure that private-led actions geared towards sustaining the development of cassava-based industries are initiated and advocated. There should be fair public incentives and funding within the geopolitical zone of the federation,” he said. 

By Osa Mbonu-Amadi, Vanguard

Video - Nigerian entrepreneur turns banana waste into business gold

Tera Korumene Robinson is transforming banana and plantain stems into organic hair extensions and eco-friendly products. Her innovative approach is turning waste into wealth, driving sustainability and business success in Nigeria.

CGTN

Video - China's agricultural assistance improves Nigeria's cassava yields

The China-Nigeria partnership is spearheaded by the National Root Crops Research Institute and the Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences. The initiative aims to teach Nigerian farmers how to produce more with fewer resources.

CGTN

Video - Farmers in Nigeria grapple with soaring transport costs

Transportation expenses in Nigeria have surged by over 200 percent in the past year, severely impacting the agricultural sector and escalating food prices, according to farmers and analysts.

CGTN

Related story: Video - Soaring fuel prices in Nigeria threaten agricultural prosperity

 

Nigeria approves GMO Corn for planting

Amidst concerns over the adoption of Genetically Modified Crops in Nigeria, the federal government, in January, approved the commercial release of four “Tela maize” varieties for commercial planting in the country.

The move placed Nigeria second in the list of African countries that have adopted and commercialised the “T maize” varieties after South Africa, a report published in February, by the United States Department of Agriculture and the Global Agricultural Information Network (GAIN) noted.

“In addition to South Africa, Nigeria has become the second country in Africa to approve the commercialization of genetically engineered corn,” the report said.

Tela maize is a maize variety that has been genetically engineered for improved insect resistance and drought tolerance, to boost farmers’ yield per hectare and also complement existing demand gaps.
 

GMO debate in Nigeria

Over the past decade, the adoption of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs), commonly referred to as GM seeds by crop farmers has been a subject of intense debate among scientists, environmentalists and even food activists in Nigeria and globally.

The question of what role, if any, GMOs should play in helping to address a range of agriculture, nutrition, and climatic challenges in developing countries like Nigeria has been at the centre of discussions.

Also, concerns have emerged over the environmental and health impacts of GMOs, their impact on traditional farming methods, and issues around seed patents.

Governments in developing nations are responding to those concerns in a variety of ways with some banning GMOs outright, some embracing the technology, and others attempting to find a balance between the concerns and needs of all sides.

According to the International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications (ISAAA), at least 33 major food crops have been genetically modified globally. Of these, four (maize, cowpea, cotton and soybean) have been officially approved for commercialisation by the Nigerian authorities, with Nigeria listed among the six African countries leading in biotech crop adoption across the continent.

Tela maize is the latest GM variety approved for commercial planting in Nigeria.

Some experts have argued that planting GM seeds will help to produce enough food for the global population, hence achieving food security at a fast pace. Others have also argued that food productivity can be improved through natural methods.

A PREMIUM TIMES investigation in 2022 revealed that, while promoters of GMOs are working to counter criticisms and ensure safety, concerns are not the only challenge hindering the adoption of GMOs in Nigeria. It was discovered that across several communities in Nigeria, farmers growing GM crop varieties know too little to make informed decisions.
 

Tela maize potentials

According to the report by the USDA, in the marketing year 2022/2023, Nigeria produced an estimated 12.7 million metric tons (MMT) of corn, with an average yield of 2.2 tons per hectare. However, it noted that the adoption of the new maize varieties could increase the country’s production capacity significantly.

According to the African Agriculture Technology Foundation (AATF), yields of Tela maize could reach up to 10 tons per hectare if grown under good agronomic practices, the report said.

Reports indicated that the Nigerian authorities officially commercialised Tela maize varieties on 11 January, following an announcement by the Nigeria National Committee on Naming, Registration and Release of Crop Varieties, Livestock Breeds/Fisheries.

At the time, the group approved twenty-three new GM varieties for commercial planting, including four biotech Tela maize varieties. This implies that seed companies can license rights to produce and commercialise the new Tela maize hybrids under their private brand from AATF.

The AATF also noted that the approved varieties are owned by the respective institutions that developed them including the national government research organisations, and that they will be licensed to local seed companies royalty-free through the AATF.
 

Background

According to the report, the Tela Maize Project was originally known as the Water Efficient Maize for Africa Project. Nigeria first joined the Tela Maize Project in 2019.

The project is perceived to have been driven by the move to develop a high-yielding maize variety that would be drought tolerant amidst lingering climate change effects, and at the same time be resistant to the highly virulent Fall ArmyWorm pest (FAW) that ravaged several corn fields across the country in 2016.

Some studies have posited that FAW can reduce corn production in affected areas by 20 to 50 per cent if not properly controlled, eventually leading to higher production costs through increased labour and pesticide applications.

However, the process towards the adoption of Tela maize in Nigeria began in 2021 after the National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA) approved the environmental release and field trials of the maize varieties categorised as SAMMAZ 72T, SAMMAZ 73T, SAMMAZ 74T, and SAMMAZ 75T.

Nigeria’s Institute for Agricultural Research carried out national performance trials of the four varieties across ten states with varied agroecological conditions.

According to reports, the trials showed average yields achieving 3 tons per hectare.
 

Controversies

The adoption of Tela maize generated controversies among anti-GMO groups in Nigeria, particularly the environmental think-tank Health of Mother Earth Foundation ( HOMEF) and several other groups, who issued a joint statement at the time condemning GMO adoption in the country.

While commending the intention of the Nigerian authorities to address food insufficiency in the country, HOMEF expressed disappointment over the release of the genetically modified varieties.

The group noted that there is no evidence of a risk assessment conducted before the release of the Tela maize on either the website of the National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA), the agency saddled with the responsibility of regulating the uses of GMOs or the Biosafety Clearing House of the United Nations Convention on Biodiversity, where parties are expected to upload updates on their decisions/use of GMOs/LMOs.

In his reaction, HOMEF’s Executive Director, Nnimmo Bassey, said, “It is totally unacceptable that in the name of food sufficiency, the country is exposing its citizens to products of risky technologies without adequate, independent and/or long-term assessment on their impacts on human and environmental health.”

The environmentalist said there are many challenges associated with genetic modification crops that cannot be denied.

So far, he claimed that GMOs have been linked to cancers, diseases, allergies, and all sorts of health challenges due to environmental implications because of their dependency on toxic pesticides and the destruction of biodiversity and nutritional diversity.

“We are also concerned that there is no way to label or inform our farmers that they are planting GMO maize. To deny Nigerians the right of choice is highly objectionable and wicked,” Mr Bassey noted.

He said it is expedient that the government conduct independent long-term feeding tests and environmental/biodiversity assessments before any GM crop is approved for use and not merely testing to confirm productivity or performance.


Mr Bassey charged the Nigerian government to understand the difficulties of recalling genetically modified living organisms and to quickly withdraw the Tela maize.

Meanwhile, according to a statement issued by the NBMA last week, the Director-general of the agency, Agnes Asagbra, claimed that Tela maize has not been launched in the country.

“It’s crucial to note that though it has been commercialised, Tela maize has not yet been launched; it is not available in the market. This demonstrates our commitment to thorough scrutiny and due diligence,” she said in a statement shared with PREMIUM TIMES.

Mrs Asagbra described Tela maize as a variety that has been rigorously evaluated through risk assessments and regulatory processes before its approval.

She noted that the GM crops that have been approved were critically evaluated by Nigerian scientists who are professionals with vast experience and expertise in their fields.

“Their assessments are meticulous, ensuring that only safe and beneficial technologies reach our farmers and consumers,” she said.

She emphasised that the country’s biosafety law is critical in the quest for Nigeria to achieve food security.

“Biosafety is not just a policy; it’s a commitment to safeguarding our nation’s health, biodiversity, and environment. In regulating the activities of modern biotechnology, biosafety ensures that any technological advancements, particularly in agriculture, are beneficial and pose no harm to our people or our land, “ the agency said.

Mrs Asagbra urged Nigerians to embrace the advancements in safe modern biotechnology with an informed perspective.

“Let us trust in the rigorous processes that have been established to protect us all. Together, we can move towards a future where food security, environmental sustainability, and economic growth go hand in hand,” she said.
 

Experts react

In his reaction, the Executive Director of Nigerian Stored Products Research Institute (NSPRI), Lateef Sanni, said Nigeria is blessed with land and water resources to produce a wide range of agricultural products with high yield if research is taken seriously.

Mr Sanni, a Professor of Food Science and Technology, emphasised that Nigeria cannot continue to rely on breeders from other parts of the world for hybrid seeds.

He argued that the food situation in the country, the global acceptance of genetically modified foods, and the need for environmental sustainability, suggest that Nigerian farmers should accept Tela Maize for planting.

However, Mr Sanni said, this should not be taken as a permanent solution to getting the right breed of maize with good yield for farmers.

“Our breeders need to wake up to the task, and they need the support of government, private sectors, and farmers to be able to come up with quality seeds that will guarantee bountiful harvest,” he noted.

On his part, Qrisstuberg Amua, Executive Director, Centre for Food Safety and Agricultural Research, noted that citizens have every reason to be worried about Tela maize adoption in the country.

“Not only citizens, our political and economic leaders also have a lot to be worried about this development,” he told PREMIUM TIMES in an interview on Monday.

He said citizens should be worried about the new maize varieties for reasons ranging from its health implications and lack of sufficient details about the maize, adding that the health implications of GMOs are motley and that they are negative, coming in the forms of cancers resulting from hormonal or endocrine and immune system disruptions.

Mr Amua listed other possible health implications of GMOs to include fertility sterilisations, metabolic derangements, cardiovascular health disruptions, children obesity and attendant issues thereto, autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorders in children, mental health derangements and early memory decay (dementia) in individuals above 40 years of age and so much more.

He emphasised that the adverse health implications could emanate from both the genetic modifications of the organism which often involve recombinant splicing or stitching of DNA either through manipulations of specialised proteins that make the Messenger RNA (MRNA) or through what looks more like cut and join using the CRISPR (an acronym for clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats) technology.

Also, Mr Amua said from the many pesticides like glyphosate (the primary active ingredient in the commercially ubiquitous ‘Roundup’) and irks, that are used in the biotechnological engineering that ensures these GMOs are pest resistant, the varieties can tolerate the application of higher concentrations of phytotoxic pesticides as herbicides.

Based on this, the professor of bioinorganic chemistry said some of the GMOs are labelled as “Roundup Ready’ or RR” such as the RR Corn or RR Soy.

“Also, there are adverse health implications to the environment due to unregulated applications of these carcinogenic, mutagenic and teratogenic arrays of pesticides, as a result of higher tolerance of these GMOs to pesticides, generally,” Mr Amua said.

These environmental toxins, he said, tend to persist in the environment and weave their way up the food chain and ultimately into humans through menu choices.

“This is one other reason for the burgeoning cases of otherwise not so rampant non-communicable diseases (NCDs) like diabetes, cancer, hypertension, dyslipidemia, arthritis, etc. nowadays even in younger populations of our communities,” he said.

He stressed that the adoption of GMOs has adverse implications for the food production system and biodiversity, as their promotion encourages monocropping and eventual extermination of rather organic and even indigenous seed types.

“Lastly, they pose adverse economic implications and even strategic food and general security implications; as when a foreign multinational controls your food supply system (as these GMOs are patented products of non-national conglomerates), your economy and even strategic security can easily be compromised from outside of your shores,” he said.

He urged the Nigerians to reject all GMOs and also engage in various levels of personal and community education, sensitisation, and advocacy to demand the withdrawal/repeal of policies and legislation that allow licensing and indeed permit the cultivation, distribution and public consumption of GMOs.

“We should also rethink our consumption patterns to return to wholesome organic and indigenous foods that are not genetically modified,” he said.

By Abdulkareem Mojeed, Premium Times 

Related story: Monsanto planning to takeover agriculture in Nigeria

Video - Nigeria aims to ramp up cocoa production amid global shortages

With increasing global demand for chocolate and cocoa prices soaring due to the worst supply shortage in four decades, Nigeria is looking to boost local cocoa production to capitalize on this opportunity.

CGTN

Related story: Video - Cocoa grown illegally in rainforest in Nigeria heads to companies that supply major chocolate makers

 

Video - Soaring fuel prices in Nigeria threaten agricultural prosperity

One dry-season farmer says his crops are withering away because of soaring fuel prices. He and other farmers need gasoline to fuel their irrigation systems. But fuel costs have tripled since the removal of a fuel subsidy. Farm productivity is down as a result. 

CGTN

Related stories: Video - Impact of rising food prices in Nigeria on Ramadan

Video - Nigeria secures $134 million to tackle food crisis

Video - Rising Food Prices spark protests and smuggling in Nigeria

Video - Bandit extortion fuels food insecurity in northern Nigeria

A report by an Africa-focused geopolitical firm highlights cases in banditry-ravaged states like Kaduna, Katsina, Zamfara, and Jigawa. Farmers say the bandits' actions have forced many to abandon their farms, which leads to decreased food production.

CGTN

Related story: Video - Insecurity in Nigeria's northern regions hampering food production

 

Video - Nigerian palm farmers eye lucrative opportunities in domestic market

While Nigeria consumes nearly three million metric tonnes of palm oil annually, domestic output is only around 1.3 million metric tonnes, with a considerable portion being imported. Recognizing the immense potential, Nigerian palm farmers believe that with proper support, the sector could significantly contribute to the country's earnings.

CGTN

Related stories: Video - Nigeria eyes $2 billion annual revenue boost from a surging coffee demand

Video - Cocoa grown illegally in rainforest in Nigeria heads to companies that supply major chocolate makers

Video - Nigeria eyes $2 billion annual revenue boost from a surging coffee demand

The West Africa Specialty Coffee Association notes a surge in global demand for Nigerian coffee, especially in countries like Japan and Canada. While current revenues hover around $2 billion, the association projects that with governmental support, Nigeria could further tap into the sector's potential.

CGTN

Related story: Video - Cocoa grown illegally in rainforest in Nigeria heads to companies that supply major chocolate makers

 

Nigeria to remove ‘political farmers’ from database

The federal government, on Wednesday, announced that it is making efforts to modify farmers’ databases to get rid of “political farmers” as it plans to kick off the second phase of dry season farming.

The Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Abubakar Kyari, disclosed this in a maiden press briefing organised by the Minister of Information and National Orientation to regain public confidence.

According to him, only genuine farmers will benefit from government-subsidised interventions.

PREMIUM TIMES reported that the Bola Tinubu administration earlier announced that a lot of agricultural policies meant for farmers were enjoyed by ‘political farmers’: persons linked to politicians but who were not real farmers.

Last year, the ministry launched the first phase of dry season farming under the National Agricultural Growth Scheme Agro-Pocket (NAGS-AP) project. The first phase focused on 15 wheat-growing states.
 

I50,000 hectares of rice to be cultivated in second phase

Mr Kyari said following a key evaluation of the first phase of dry season farming, measures have been taken to ensure the success of the subsequent phase.

He said 150,000 hectares of rice would be cultivated during the second phase, noting that 300,000 genuine farmers are targeted for this. The farmers, he said, would benefit from the government’s subsidised interventions such as fertilisers, herbicides and micronutrients among others.

According to him, the farmers would get three bags of these agro-inputs for free after purchasing half bags.

In addition, he said, 30,000 hectares of maize would be cultivated across the 36 states of the federation. The minister expressed optimism, noting that some state governors have shown interest in the scheme.

Mr Kyari also clarified that 42,000 metric tonnes of grains earmarked for distribution to vulnerable households would be at no cost.

“The 42,000 metric tonnes of food from the national food reserves is free,” he clarified. “We’re trying to crash down the prices of food and make it available.”

“So these 42,000 metric tonnes of food will be given to the needy free of charge. It would go directly to the needy at no cost at all.

“We’ve met with the DSS and NEMA to give us the index. This is to gather intelligence on where it is needed the most, and we are going to look at those indices,” Mr Kyari added.

Idris unveils five-pillar agenda to regain public confidence

In his remarks, the information minister, Muhammed Idris, said his ministry has developed a five-pillar agenda in line with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope vision.

Mr Idris said the agenda is targeted at restoring trust, amplifying policies and programmes, reorienting national values, modernizing technology and talent, and creating an enabling environment for the media.

“The Ministerial Press Briefing Series (MPBS) that we are kicking off today, are in line with our ‘Restore Trust’ and ‘Amplify Policies and Programmes’ pillars. This is a chance for you, the distinguished members of the press, to engage with senior officials of the federal government, on behalf of the good people of Nigeria,” the minister told journalists.

“You will hear first-hand about what the federal government is doing, policies, programmes, targets and objectives, and you will be able to ask questions and receive relevant clarifications. We have also made efforts to ensure that this Briefing Series receives the widest possible coverage, through traditional and digital platforms,” the minister explained.

Mr Idris said the ministry is “determined to restore trust, confidence and credibility to public communications, by engaging in a timely, proactive and consistent fashion with all our stakeholders, across government, the media, private sector and international community, deploying all available platforms and media.”

He noted that the press briefing will subsequently feature other ministers who will be brought before the press to highlight the government’s efforts in stabilising the country.

ByYakubu Mohammed, Premium Times

Related story: Video - Cocoa grown illegally in rainforest in Nigeria heads to companies that supply major chocolate makers

Shell agrees to develop Nigeria gas field for Dangote fertiliser

Shell Plc has made a final investment decision to build a gas supply facility in Nigeria to feed a fertiliser plant owned by Africa's richest man Aliko Dangote, the company said in a statement.

The new facility will supply 100 million standard cubic feet of gas per day from the Iseni field to the Dangote Fertiliser and Petrochemical plant for 10 years, according to the deal agreed by Shell and its joint venture partners TotalEnergies,Eni, and the state oil firm NNPC Ltd.

The $2.5 billion plant, Africa's largest urea complex with a 3-million-tonne output per year, accounts for 65% of Nigeria's fertiliser needs and can supply all the major markets in the sub-region.

"The agreement is a critical step in pursuing the development of the gas-rich Iseni field, which is part of the Okpokunou Cluster in Oil Mining Lease 35" in the oil-rich Bayelsa state, Shell's Nigeria chief, Osagie Okunbor, said in an email.

Nigeria holds Africa's largest gas reserves of more than 200 trillion cubic feet and is seeking to develop the reserves to boost supply to industries, power plants, and for exports.

Okunbor said the project will increase the delivery of gas to the domestic market and help stimulate economic growth. 

By Isaac Anyaogu, Reuters

Video - Cocoa grown illegally in rainforest in Nigeria heads to companies that supply major chocolate makers

As the world's demand for chocolate grows, cocoa farmers in Nigeria are moving into protected areas of a forest reserve that is home to endangered species like African forest elephants. Over the course of two visits and several days, The Associated Press documented farmers harvesting cocoa beans where that work is banned in conservation areas of Omo Forest Reserve, a protected tropical rainforest 135 kilometers (84 miles) northeast of the coastal city of Lagos in southwestern Nigeria. AP Video/Dan Ikopyi.

AP

Video - Analysts want modernization of agricultural sector to overcome food insecurity in Nigeria

Efforts to tackle food security crisis have made some progress in Nigeria. However, analysts believe the country will struggle to cope with the effects of conflict, climate and economic downturns unless its agricultural sector modernizes. 

CGTN

Video - Insecurity in Nigeria's northern regions hampering food production

According to the Food and Agricultural Organization, as many as 26 million Nigerians could face severe hunger by next year. The UN agency says several issues, but mainly insecurity, contribute to the problem. Experts have called on the government to address these concerns to safeguard food production.

CGTN

Video - Nigeria mobilizes $500 million to boost food production

Africa's most populous nation has been under intense food insecurity exacerbated by growing inflation. The funds are expected to boost agricultural production in the West African nation.

CGTN