Reps Push for Stronger Agricultural Research, Education framework
By Msugh Ityokura
The Speaker, House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas has reaffirmed the commitment of the 10th National Assembly to strengthen Nigeria’s agricultural research and education framework.
He spoke at a one-day public hearing convened by the House Committee on Agricultural Colleges and Institutions Monday, in Abuja.
The public hearing focused on eleven bills, including a proposal for the establishment of the National Institute of Agricultural Research and Entrepreneurship in Owode, Yewa, Ogun State.
Abbas described the hearing as timely, noting that the nation must urgently transition to a knowledge-driven and sustainable agricultural system to address food insecurity, climate change, and economic diversification.
“These Bills speak to our collective ambition to restructure the country’s agricultural framework through legal instruments that can modernize and revitalize the sector,” he said.
He emphasized the critical need to support agricultural research and innovation, citing global examples like Brazil’s Embrapa and Israel’s arid-zone agriculture breakthroughs. He maintained that Nigeria, blessed with vast arable land and a youthful population, stands poised to replicate such success stories if supported by robust legal and institutional reforms.
“The establishment and expansion of Agricultural Research Institutions across the country is not only necessary but strategically urgent,” he added.
Chairman of the Committee and sponsor of the Yewa bill, Abiodun Isiaq Akinlade, in his remarks, lamented the decline of Nigeria’s agricultural fortunes following the oil boom and reiterated the urgent need to reinvest in the sector. “With over 220 million people to feed, Nigeria needs more agricultural institutions to tackle challenges such as soil degradation, climate change, and pest outbreaks,” he said.
He described agricultural colleges as not only centers of learning but also hubs of innovation and catalysts for rural development.
Supporting the proposed legislation, Barr. Ogunsola Abraham Babatunde, Chairman of Yewa South Local Government, submitted a memorandum stressing the importance of establishing the institute in Owode, Ogun State. He said the project would transform the region into a hub for modern agriculture, economic empowerment, and youth development.
“The Institute will stimulate job creation, foster agribusiness, and reduce rural-urban migration by engaging young people in biotechnology and entrepreneurship,” Babatunde said. He highlighted Owode’s strategic location near Lagos and the Benin Republic border as an added advantage for agro-economic activities.
He further noted that the institute would attract both national and international research collaborations and significantly boost agricultural capacity-building in the region.
Stakeholders at the hearing urged the lawmakers to fast-track the passage of the Bills and ensure that sustainable frameworks for funding, oversight, and public-private partnerships are integrated into the final legislative instruments.
Speaker Abbas declared the hearing open with a charge to all participants to engage with intellectual rigour and a clear sense of national purpose.
He expressed confidence that the outcome of the deliberations would mark a new chapter for Nigeria’s agricultural future.
