By Felix Khanoba
The Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) has begun the process of choosing ten universities to benefit from one of its 2025 interventions aimed at establishing mechanised commercial farms and livestock enterprises.
Speaking in Abuja on Monday, Chairman of TETFund’s Board of Trustees, Aminu Bello Masari, said only universities of agriculture or institutions with a strong Faculty of Agriculture would be considered for selection.
He added that qualifying institutions must have at least 50 hectares of unencumbered land and be operating an existing commercial farm engaged in at least one agricultural value chain.
Masari made these remarks during the inauguration of a five-member Agricultural Commercial Farms Evaluation Committee, which is tasked with ensuring innovation and transparency throughout the selection process.
He explained that this new phase of TETFund’s intervention will initially support ten universities in setting up fully mechanised farms and livestock production systems.
“Most of the institutions have submitted their Expressions of Interest, and it became necessary to constitute this committee to ensure objectivity and transparency in the selection process,” he said.
Emphasizing the strategic importance of agriculture to Nigeria’s socio-economic growth, Masari pointed out that it not only ensures food security but also plays a vital role in job creation, poverty reduction, and national development.
He further stressed the need to embrace modern agricultural tools such as automation, precision farming, and data-driven practices, which he said have revolutionized food production in advanced economies and could do the same for Nigeria.
The TETFund chairman praised the newly inaugurated committee members for their sense of duty and readiness to serve, acknowledging their swift response to the call.
“Agriculture provides food security, generates income, and contributes to economic growth, especially in developing countries like ours. By promoting agricultural development, we are also promoting inclusive growth and reducing the urban-rural divide,” he said.
Masari reminded attendees that agriculture was once the backbone of Nigeria’s economy before the discovery of oil and still plays a key role in GDP contribution.
He stressed that driving agricultural growth through research, training, and innovation would lead to greater national prosperity, better incomes for farmers, and a reduced dependency on imported food.
According to him, eight of the 27 Centres of Excellence funded by the agency focus on agriculture. TETFund is also backing the creation of Agricultural Research Laboratories and Demonstration Farms at six universities to foster improved crop and livestock production using modern technology.
The Evaluation Committee, which is chaired by the Director of Federal Department of Agriculture in the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Mr Ewara E. Bassey, comprises of representatives from the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Livestock Development, National Universities Commission, Agricultural Research Council of Nigeria, and TETFund’s Research & Development/Centres of Excellence Department, Secretary.
Masari outlined the committee’s terms of reference, which include assessing submissions, developing evaluation templates, scoring performance, and recommending qualified institutions across Nigeria’s geopolitical zones.
“The constitution and composition of this committee underscore the importance we place on this project. You are expected to work as a team and deliver professionally,” he said, giving the committee a two-week deadline to submit its report.
“With great confidence in your expertise and experience, I hereby inaugurate this Evaluation Committee on Agricultural Commercial Farms, this day, Monday, 7th July, 2025.”
He expressed optimism that their work would contribute meaningfully to the nation’s agricultural transformation.
Responding, the Chairman of the Committee, Bassey, thanked the Fund for the opportunity to serve, saying the committee considers the task before it a call to national duty.
He expressed confidence in the quality of members selected for the committee, pledging that it would not only deliver on its mandate, but also provide recommendations that would make the scheme impactful.
