Balqees Adeniji
Despite persistent food insecurity challenges across Ogun State, the government has committed over ₦90.6 billion to the agricultural sector between 2021 and 2025, findings by PLATFORM TIMES have revealed.
An in-depth analysis of Ogun State’s annual budget documents shows that the government allocated a cumulative total of ₦90,648,941,415.17 to the Ministry of Agriculture and associated programmes within the five-year period.
The breakdown reveals fluctuating year-on-year allocations with a sharp rise expected in 2025.
In 2021, the state earmarked ₦13.4 billion for agriculture-related expenditures. This included ₦4.5 billion for the Ministry of Agriculture, ₦5.8 billion for the Ogun State Economic Transformation Project (OGSTEP), and various sums for specific initiatives like the Cassava Revolution Programme (₦95 million), the Ogun State Agricultural Development Programme (₦1.07 billion), Agro Services Corporation (₦1.3 billion), and the Agricultural Development Corporation (₦574 million).
However, in 2022, the allocation dropped significantly to ₦775.2 million, with just ₦314 million allocated to the ministry.
The Cassava Revolution Programme received ₦5.7 million, Agro Services Corporation ₦66 million, and the Agricultural Development Corporation ₦389 million.
The budget for 2023 rebounded to ₦11.3 billion, with ₦3.3 billion going to the Ministry of Agriculture and ₦3.2 billion to OGSTEP.
Other allocations included ₦1.6 billion for NG-CARES/FADAMA, ₦172 million for the Livestock Production and Resilience Support Project (L-PRESS), and ₦974 million for the state’s agricultural development programme.
Additionally, ₦333.9 million was set aside for the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zone (SAPZ) initiative, ₦79 million for the IFAD/FGN Value Chain Development Programme, ₦889 million for Agro Services Corporation, and ₦552 million for the Agricultural Development Corporation.
In 2024, the state budgeted ₦10.6 billion for agriculture, with OGSTEP once again receiving a significant portion at ₦3.3 billion, followed by ₦2.5 billion for the ministry itself. NG-CARES/FADAMA was allocated ₦2.1 billion, and SAPZ received ₦176 million.
Allocations also included ₦59 million for the cassava programme, ₦128 million for L-PRESS, and ₦877 million for the agricultural development programme.
The Agro Services Corporation and Agricultural Development Corporation were allocated ₦650 million and ₦519 million, respectively.
For 2025, the budget saw a dramatic increase, ballooning to ₦54.4 billion — the highest within the five-year span.
The Ministry of Agriculture is set to receive ₦6.7 billion, while OGSTEP dominates with an allocation of ₦27.6 billion.
The SAPZ project saw a significant rise with ₦15 billion allocated, indicating a major government push toward agro-industrialisation.
Other 2025 allocations include ₦384 million for the Cassava Resolutions Programme, ₦915 million for NG-CARES/FADAMA, ₦119 million for L-PRESS, ₦868 million for the agricultural development programme, ₦180 million for the IFAD/FGN programme, ₦813 million for Agro Services Corporation, and ₦1.7 billion for the Agricultural Development Corporation.
Many residents across Ogun State still grapple with rising food prices and limited access to locally sourced food products, prompting calls for increased transparency and efficiency in the execution of these programmes.
As food insecurity persists, stakeholders continue to urge the government to ensure that its multi-billion-naira agricultural budget delivers tangible results for farmers and consumers alike.
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