The Ogun State Government has taken a significant step towards scaling up food production and reducing Nigeria's reliance on poultry imports. This follows the official acquisition of a new poultry processing facility with the capacity to handle an additional 1.3 million birds every year.
Commissioner's Tour Reveals Major Agricultural Investments
The announcement was made by the State Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security, Hon. Bolu Owotomo, on Thursday, 15 January 2026. He spoke during an inspection tour of key agricultural sites, including the Ajegunle Farm Settlement in Odeda Local Government Area. It is here that a new 5,000-bird-per-day processing plant has been constructed under the Ogun State Economic Transformation Project (OGSTEP).
Owotomo emphasized the state's unwavering commitment to supporting farmers and increasing food output. He revealed that the Ajegunle Farm Settlement, now officially a poultry hub, is home to roughly 400 resident farmers. The government's provision of critical infrastructure has been a game-changer, attracting serious private investment.
New facilities at the settlement include:
- Blast freezers and cold rooms for preservation.
- Waste processing units.
- A warehouse with fitted offices.
- Poultry pens with a 20,000-bird capacity.
The commissioner pointed to a recent private-sector development as proof of the hub's success: an investor has just finished building a 13,000-capacity poultry pen at Ajegunle.
Broad Impact Across Ogun's Agricultural Landscape
Owotomo provided a broader picture of the state's agricultural revival. Through OGSTEP alone, 28 agricultural projects have been completed across Ogun in the last two years. Other initiatives like the Value Chain Development Programme (VCDP), OG-CARES, and the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones (SAPZ) have also played vital roles.
He framed these efforts as a direct response to a national crisis. "These projects are aimed at increasing food productivity, improving farmers’ livelihoods, and reducing post-harvest losses in Nigeria, which are currently estimated at N3.5 trillion annually," the commissioner stated.
Highlighting a stark consumption gap, Owotomo noted that Nigeria's per capita chicken consumption is a mere 1.7kg to 2kg. This pales in comparison to 13kg in Ghana, 36kg in South Africa, and 46kg in Brazil. He stressed that despite importing about 70% of its poultry needs, the country's consumption levels remain critically low.
Sustainability and Statewide Project Rollout
The tour also covered the Eweje Farm Institute, where 10 poultry pens (each for 10,000 birds) and five four-bedroom residential buildings have been erected. Owotomo assured that continued investment in such infrastructure will cement Ogun's status as Nigeria's premier poultry hub.
At Odo Fufu in Ilaro, Yewa South LGA, the team inspected a new cassava processing facility built to serve local farmers, aiming to add value and boost incomes. On the crucial issue of sustainability, the commissioner was clear: "We are encouraging farmers to take ownership of these facilities. There will be strong monitoring and evaluation by the ministry, alongside Public-Private Partnerships, to ensure long-term viability."
Other officials echoed this optimism. The Special Adviser to the Governor on Agriculture, Dr. Angel Adelaja, and the Permanent Secretary, Mrs. Kehinde Jokotoye, affirmed the projects' potential to drastically boost productivity and strengthen the state economy.
Local leaders, including the Principal of Odeda Training Institute, Mr. Ademola Benco, and the Chairman of Ajegunle Farm Settlement, Mr. Rotimi Sogunle, hailed the developments as unprecedented. They expressed confidence that full utilization of these facilities would propel agricultural production in Ogun State and Nigeria as a whole.
