Vice President Kashim Shettima has called on the private sector, including financial institutions, to support the federal government’s drive to transform agricultural production and improve the welfare of Nigerians.

Mr Shettima made the call on Friday when a consortium of mid-sized agriculture companies paid him a courtesy visit at the presidential villa, Abuja.

He emphasised the need to engage small-holder farmers to increase their productivity as part of measures to achieve the country’s food security objectives.

Mr Shettima welcomed their partnership and said, “Mid-sized companies like yours should be the drivers of change in our nation.

“We can work as a team towards addressing our core challenges.”

Mr Shettima commended the efforts of the young entrepreneurs, particularly in “seeking practical solutions to challenges confronting the nation.

He restated the commitment of President Bola Tinubu’s administration to stimulate growth in the economy, especially working with the private sector.

” My boss is very much devoted to stimulating growth in the Nigerian economy, regardless of the challenges. Leadership is actually about challenges and we are mindful of them.

” We want collaboration from the private sector to turn agriculture into a business and dramatically change our economic landscape.

“Nigeria is one of the resource-endowed countries in the world and has no business being poor.”

Earlier, Akinyinka Akintunde, leader of the delegation and chief executive officer of AFEX, said the group was at the presidential villa to pledge its support for the government’s programmes and policies in the agricultural sector.

AFEX is a leading commodities exchange in Nigeria.

According to Mr Akintunde, the group is proposing an initiative that will support two million farmers across four value chains (Rice, maize, sorghum and soyabeans) to enhance sustainable agriculture and ensure the success of the food security drive of the federal government.

He said the consortium comprising mid-sized agricultural companies in Nigeria would achieve the set objectives by engaging and collaborating with key stakeholders.

This, according to him, includes the Private Finance Initiative (PFI), the Fertiliser Producers and Suppliers Association of Nigeria (FEPSAN) and farmer aggregation companies.

He outlined the proposed initiative, which would also include linking farmers to markets and enriching the government’s grain reserves across the country with assorted commodities, all in a bid to boost the administration’s food security targets.

(NAN)