The Minister of State for Agriculture and Rural Development, Mustapha Shehuri, has said the Turkish government has promised to invest $15 million in Nigeria’s agricultural sector in two years.
The minister disclosed this when he received Turkish investment delegation led by the Commercial Counsellor, Turkish Embassy in Nigeria, Mr. Onur Akgul, in his office, recently in Abuja. In a statement from the ministry, Shehuri said that prior to the discovery of crude oil, agriculture was the main source of revenue generation in Nigeria, but, unfortunately, it was abandoned due to the easy resources realized from the oil sector.
The minister acknowledged the fact that Nigeria stands to gain more from Turkey experience in the agricultural value chain having progressed exceedingly in the sector over the years.
Shehuri pointed out that there are a lot of areas of collaboration between Nigeria and the Turkish government like subsistence and mechanized intervention farming in order to achieve food security for the development of the country. He assured the members of the delegation, the full support of the ministry, adding that the ministry will come up with a document that will guide all investors in the agricultural sector and help both the investors and the government achieve the desired goal.