72,000 Ogun State Residents Gain Agricultural Skills, Receive Support

News in Brief

-Ogun State has trained 39,000 people and supported over 33,000 farmers with inputs and mechanisation as part of a World Bank-backed transformation project.

-The project has also upgraded land administration with new technology and rehabilitated educational institutions, boosting skills development and economic diversification across the state.

The Ogun State government has empowered more than 72,000 residents through the State Economic Transformation Project (OGSTEP), a five-year, World Bank-supported initiative set to conclude on December 31, 2025.

According to the administration, the beneficiaries include 39,000 individuals who received skills training and 33,075 farmers who were supported with inputs such as feeds, mechanisation services, fertilisers, and agrochemicals.

Mr Dapo Okubadejo, Chairman of the Project Steering Committee and Commissioner for Finance, revealed these figures during the 8th and final Implementation Support Mission held in Abeokuta.

Strengthening Human Capacity

Okubadejo said the project's five-year achievements reflected the state’s bold economic vision to strengthen institutions, enhance human capital, and expand economic opportunities.

To date, OGSTEP has facilitated the issuance of over 15,000 Certificates of Occupancy and rehabilitated seven zonal e-planning and land administration centres. It also deployed a modern GIS and Remote Sensing platform to improve transparency and efficiency in land processes.

In the agriculture production sector, OGSTEP has supported 27,547 crop farmers, 4,256 aquaculture farmers, and 1,272 poultry farmers.

The project has mechanised cultivation of over 9,000 hectares, supplied 90,431 litres of agrochemicals, 17,945 bags of fertilisers, 195,436 bags of fish feed, and 77,703 bags of poultry feed, while also rehabilitating poultry pens. Agribusiness firms have purchased 283,582 tonnes of produce from supported farmers.

On skills development, over 39,000 individuals were trained, including STEM teachers, quality assurance officers, vocational trainees, ministry personnel, farmers, youth, women, and artisans.

The project rehabilitated eight technical colleges, renovated laboratories in 22 flagship schools and four Education Resource Centres, completing work on a total of 34 institutions.

Strong Partnerships Drive Results

Mr Okubadejo praised the dedication of the Project Technical Committee, the Project Coordinator, and the entire project team for their professionalism and commitment. He urged beneficiaries to maximise the support to drive prosperity in Ogun State.

Mr Olaolu Olabimtan, Chairman of the Project Technical Committee and Commissioner for Budget and Planning, credited the achievements to strong partnerships, disciplined implementation, and Governor Dapo Abiodun’s political will. He also commended the World Bank Task Team for technical guidance.

OGSTEP Project Coordinator Mosunmola Owo-Odusi highlighted the transformation from basic subsistence farming to organised cooperatives with business plans and improved market access, alongside advances in land administration using high-tech survey equipment and GIS infrastructure.

She called on government agencies to sustain these initiatives to ensure ongoing economic transformation and growth.

Launched in 2020, OGSTEP aims to increase private sector participation, enhance the business environment, strengthen agri-food value chains, and upgrade skills to foster sustainable growth and inclusive prosperity in Ogun State.