Agriculture or farming is the practice of cultivating plants
and livestock. Farming was the key development in the rise of sedentary human
civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses
that enabled people to live in cities.
Nigeria
is the 7th most populated country in the world. Today’s most profitable agricultural business
model is to fill
people’s needs because Nigeria is not self-sufficient in food.
Agriculture was the backbone of Nigeria’s economy before the discovery of crude oil. Then, the country’s economy thrived; food was available and affordable.
People, therefore,
did not go hungry, especially in extreme situations precipitated by a severe
factor. Some wealthy Nigerians drifted into agro-business to save the country.
Additionally,
some of them simply decided to follow their interests rather than aiming to
become the wealthiest farmers in Nigeria.
In
this article you will be know:
· Farming
in Nigeria and Facts
· Top
richest farmers in Nigeria
· Who is the richest farmer in Nigeria?
· What farmers make the most money?
· Who is the most successful farmer in Nigeria?
Farming in Nigeria and Facts
Nigeria has an arable land area of 34 million hectares: 6.5 million hectares for permanent crops, and 28.6 million hectares on meadows and pastures. Agriculture accounts for about 24 percent of Nigeria's GDP. The country is a leader in various types of agricultural production, such as palm oil, cocoa beans, pineapple, and sorghum.
It is the largest producer of sorghum in the world just
after the United States, and ranks fifth in the production of palm oil and cocoa beans.
Nigeria is also a large global exporter in this sector. Oil, fruits, nuts,
seeds are among the ten best performing export categories. There are about 38 million
smallholder farmers in Nigeria. There are about 38 million smallholder farmers in
Nigeria (20% of the country’s population).
Top 7 Most Richest Farmers in Nigeria
Below
are lists of Top 7 Most Richest Farmers in Nigeria:
1.
ROTIMI WILLIAMS – KEREKSUK RICE FARM
2.
OLUSEGUN OBASANJO – OBASANJO FARM
3.
ENGINEER KOLAWOLE ADENIJI – NIJI FARMS
4.
PRINCE ARINZE ONEBUNNE – JOVANA FARMS LTD
5.
WAHAB IYANDA FOLAWIYO - FOLAWIYO FARMS LIMITED
6.
ABDULSALAMI ABUBABAKAR – MAIZUBE
7.
ABDULLAHI ADAMU – NAGARI INTEGRATED DAIRY FARM
Let us discuss in details.
1. ROTIMI WILLIAMS – KEREKSUK RICE FARM
Rotimi
Williams, a determined Nigerian entrepreneur, is a rice farmer and former
journalist. He owns Kereksuk Rice Farm in Nassarawa State which is the second
largest commercial rice farm in Nigeria by land size. His farm, which is
situated in Nasarawa state in northern Nigeria, currently sits on 45,000
hectares and employs more than 600 natives of Nasarawa.
Every
successful entrepreneur starts from spotting a need in the market, after which
they go on to either search for or build a product or service that can solve
that problem. Their ability to find
an innovative way to build a successful business that prioritizes the
satisfaction of prospects over and over again consistently forms the framework
that ensures that goes on to guarantee their success.
Kereksuk
is currently producing about 8,000 metric tons of quality paddy rice for major
milling companies all over Nigeria every year, with a current effort to expand
the project and double output in progress. Rotimi Williams seeks to contribute
to the nation’s economy by helping to reduce the need to import rice through
the availability of quality rice made in Nigeria.
Rotimi
has often described himself as a social entrepreneur and has attributed it to
the inspiration for the number of initiatives he has pioneered; such as the
out-of-poverty initiative, which targets secondary school children to spur an
interest in agriculture, with provision for education to empower them up to
tertiary level, as well as the engagement and empowerment of over 100 Fulani
women in rice farming.
2. OLUSEGUN OBASANJO – OBASANJO FARM
In
addition to being a former head of state, politician, and retired army officer, Chief Olusegun
Obasanjo is also a prosperous farmer. He owns Ota Farm, which is also called
Obasanjo Farms. The large farm was formally opened on October 8, 1979, a week
after Obasanjo handed over power to a civilian administration on October 1,
1979.
At
inception, the farm took off as Temperance Enterprises Limited (Farming
Venture). It later became Obasanjo Farms Nigeria Limited. Obasanjo Farms indeed
took off in grand style, indication that Nigeria’s former president meant
serious business. This probably accounts for the growth, expansion, sustainability
and consolidation witnessed in the evolution of the farm, considering how it
started and where it is now.
The
farm took off with two layer houses containing 100, 000 birds each and five broiler houses of 12,000
each, in addition to two feed mills of three tons per hour each. The large
farm, which has up to 7,000 workers started with four bulldozer operators.
The
farm, over the years, has undergone a series of development, expansion,
sustainability, and consolidation throughout the farm’s evolution.
Today,
Obasanjo makes up to N34million daily from Ota Farm, which has branches in
Ibadan and Igbo-Ora, Oyo State. This is no small earning for the former
president whose farm has played a significant role in the development of agriculture and food
production.
3. Engineer Kolawole Adeniji – Niji Farms
Engineer
Kolawole Adeniji is the founder, President and CEO of NIJI GROUP. Adeniji
started Niji Group in 1991 as a local startup known as Niji-Lukas before it
expanded to a conglomerate with six subsidiaries whose operations span different fields, including
Agricultural Machineries and Equipment Manufacturing, Farming, Food Processing,
Agribusiness Education, Farm Mechanization and Hospitality. The farm began
operation on a 500-acre land and, over the years, has grown to become one of
the significant
integrated farms with expertise in cassava in Nigeria. Kolawole, a fabrication
engineer, is responsible for fabricating some of the machinery used on his
farms.
Read: Top Solutions to the Problems of Agriculture
4. PRINCE ARINZE ONEBUNNE – JOVANA FARMS LTD.
Prince
Arinze Onebunne is the successful managing consultant and CEO of Jovana Farms,
located in Mushin, Lagos. Onebunne specialises in the farming of animals such
as grasscutters (grea, rabbits, quail, antelope, guinea pigs and fish, and so on. His high profile level of animal farming
has taken him to over 30 states in Nigeria and to other countries as a seminar
facilitator, advocate, training personnel and empowerment speaker.
The
founder of Jovana Farms is also at the vanguard of modern fish and livestock farming in
Nigeria, which is considered a fast growing and lucrative subsector of the
nation’s economy today. With his vast experience and engagement in training and
mentoring prospective animal farmers, he earns millions of naira not only from
sales of animal products, but also from consultancy charges.
Onebunne
also carries out feasibility research, site survey and farm construction
projects, as part of his professional services.
5. WAHAB IYANDA FOLAWIYO - FOLAWIYO FARMS LIMITED
Folawiyo
Farms Limited, located on Yinka Folawiyo Avenue, Apapa, Lagos, was incorporated
on October 4, 1985. It carries out integrated agricultural production, with
branches in several states in Nigeria. It is owned by renowned business tycoon,
philanthropist and the Baba Adinni of Nigeria, the late Alhaji Wahab Iyanda Folawiyo.
In
matters concerning agriculture, Folawiyo Farms stands tall in all aspects. They
are into livestock farming, fish
farming, four
milling, agro-chemical production and distribution, agricultural consultancy,
development and engineering, production and supply of agro-pesticides, farm
tools, fertilizer services, horticulture, and so on. Folawiyo’s journey to
greatness began back in 1957 when he founded Yinka Folawiyo and Sons Limited,
an import and export business empire that includes holdings in shipping,
banking, construction, agriculture and energy.
It
is therefore not out of proportion to say Folawiyo’s business concerns traverse
the entire length and breadth of the Nigerian economic terrain.
6. ABDULSALAMI ABUBABAKAR – MAIZUBE
Farms
Another worthy mention is the distinguished military general and former head of
state of Nigeria in the Fourth Republic, General Abdulsalami Abubakar (rtd). He
is the owner of Maizube Farms Limited, which helps to meet the food needs of
many Nigerians today; he has a stake in the country’s agricultural industry.
General Abubakar’s hometown of Minna, Niger State, is home to Maizube Farms
Limited, situated at Km 26 on Minna-Bida Road. Today, the 500-hectare
multi-product farm is pleased to be one of the reliable sources of crop and
animal goods on which Nigerians rely for food and other uses. The farm has
areas for crops and livestock.
7. ABDULLAHI ADAMU – NAGARI INTEGRATED DAIRY FARM
Alhaji
Abdullahi Adamu, a former governor of Nasarawa State who is currently a senator
of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is also a prominent individual worthy of
this list. He is the brain behind the Nagari integrated farm. Nagari integrated
farm is one of Africa’s biggest dairy farms with a single integrated herd. With
a number of about 7,000 Holstein cattle on 1,200 hectares of farmland, one
won’t be wrong to say it is one of Africa’s top providers of premium farm and
dairy products, given the calibre of the goods it produces.
What farmers make the most money?
Technological
advancement has created more opportunities for farmers to develop a profitable
business. Small farms (earning less than $50,000 annually or occupying less
than 180 acres) are now considered potentially lucrative as both rural and
urban business opportunities. Entrepreneurs should consider ideas like bee
farms, rooftop gardens, and microgreens when choosing among profitable ventures.
Farmers especially small scale
farming makes most money on the following types of farming work:
1. Tree Nursery
A
tree nursery can be a great investment when done right. Most farmers start with
10 to 20 seedlings in a small acre, and with the right marketing strategy, they
would have the baby trees sold out before they mature. You can buy small trees
for around $20 each, or raise them from scratch. Spend some time researching
how to organically source the trees you want to grow. Fruit tree propagation,
for example, can be done by grafting or budding (joining parts from multiple
plants), and this increases your chances of producing the same variety of trees
as opposed to using seeds.
2. Dual Crop Farming
Dual
crop farming or multiple cropping can be either mixed cropping or
intercropping. Mixed cropping refers to raising two or more types of crops in
the same area while intercropping is raising different crops in close
proximity. Dual crop farming is very popular among farmers because it optimizes
the use of equipment, soil, and water as well as farming supplies; it also
maximizes the production of a small farm all yearround. Farmers like that it
reduces the risk of total loss from calamities, drought, pests, and diseases.
Some good examples of multiple cropping are growing strawberries and
watermelons in Florida, while growing wheat and soybeans in addition to corn
and canola in the Carolinas.
3. Fish Farming
Fish
farming is an ideal business idea for investors with available land, and it
doesn’t always require a body of water. You can start a fish farm either by
creating fish ponds or investing in fish tanks; it’s a highly scalable business
idea. Once you have the proper knowledge of fish raising, you will be able to
decide the type of fish to raise. Fish such as tilapia, cod, and catfish are
very popular choices, because they are quite easy to raise and are generally in
high demand. Small scale farms are the usual suppliers of fish in their local
supermarkets and restaurants.
4. Poultry Farming
Poultry
farming allows you to supply poultry products to other businesses. As there is
consistent demand for poultry products, it remains an attractive investment
option for potential farm owners. The downside is that poultry farming is
highly regulated to ensure the safety and health of the residents within the
community. Learn as much about the business as possible including finding the
right location and getting ready with all the requirements to get started. And
because running a poultry farm can be a tedious task, it’s helpful to use
automation tools to make inventory and sales more manageable. QuickBooks
Desktop Pro is QuickBooks’ dedicated desktop accounting software for small
businesses. Its features include invoicing, inventory monitoring, and expense
tracking that’s perfect for tracking cash sales and farm expenses.
5. Organic Farming
Generally
speaking, organic farming is a method of raising crops and livestock, but
thanks to a growing market of health consciousconsumers, this method has
created a niche of its own. Nowadays, you’ll find restaurants and supermarkets
that market specifically for organic produce. These businesses rely on organic
farmers to supply them with organically grown fruits and vegetables and
organically raised, or free roaming, livestock. Organic farming is said to be
2235% more profitable than its conventional counterparts.
6. Rooftop Tea Garden
In
cities, maximizing space is important and this includes being able to balance
air quality by creating more space to plant greens. While rooftop gardens are
already common in urban areas, there are still a number of ideas that you can
try and turn into a business venture. One of which is starting your own rooftop
tea garden. You can grow a variety of aromatic and medicinal herbs and greens
to sell directly to consumers. Another option is to find a partner to help you
start a rustic coffee and tea shop directly on the rooftop. Partners can be
those who have access to a rooftop so you can invest less money or someone who
is knowledgeable in starting a coffee shop.
7. Aquaponics
Aquaponics
is a farming method that combines aquaculture (raising aquatic animals) with
hydroponics (cultivating plants in water). This means farmers produce crops
without requiring as much water or land area. It translates to a lower
investment cost and more potential for profit as it’s known to produce crops
faster and in greater volume. Experts advise beginners to start small and
expand as they learn how to maximize their production.
8. Vegetable Landscaping
Starting
a landscaping business can be expensive, but farmers who want to opt for a
greener path should enter this world of edible landscaping. This option creates
more flexible opportunities so your required startup capital will be
considerably lower. You will mostly be investing in tools to grow vegetables
either on freshly tilled soil or in containers. When using pots, remember to
purchase the ones that are eight to 12 inches deep; also, space them out
evenly, so you can maximize your yield.
9. Bee Farming
Apiculture
or beekeeping often starts as a hobby, and the capital needed to begin is quite
low. Beginner beekeepers can start operating a bee farm with $500$1,000. With
this amount of startup capital, they can sell bee byproducts such as beeswax,
bee pollen, royal jelly and of course, honey, that’s very popular among
consumers. Bee pollen and royal jelly are considered superfoods and are sold at
a high price. You only need a small area in your backyard but you still have to
check with your local government unit first to see if they allow beekeeping in
your area.
10. Dairy Farming
According
to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, factory farms provide more than 80% of
milk in the market. However, there is a continuing decline in the number of
licensed dairy farms, which leaves opportunities for new entrepreneurs with
available land in rural areas to explore. Note that dairy farms with less than
100 cows are considered small but still require considerable investment, not to
mention, the numerous rules they must follow before being awarded a license to
operate. Those who wish to go into this type of farming business will also have
to learn how to improve milk volume production in order to be successful.
Read: 15 Unique Ways of Improving Crop Yield – Facts you Need to Know
Who is the most successful farmer in Nigeria?
Rotimi
Williams – Kereksuk Rice Farm Rotimi Williams is an industrial rice farmer and
former journalist. He is the owner of Nigeria’s second-largest commercial rice field by land size, Kereksuk
Rice Farm in Nassarawa State. The farm employs more than 600 Nasarawa natives
of its host state, Nasarawa. Kereksuk is currently producing about 8,000 metric
tons of quality paddy rice for major milling companies all over Nigeria every
year, with a current effort
to expand the project and double output in progress.
Every
successful entrepreneur starts from spotting a need in the market, after which
they go on to either search for or build a product or service that can solve
that problem. Their ability to find
an innovative way to build a successful business that prioritizes the satisfaction
of prospects over and over again consistently forms the framework that ensures
that goes on to guarantee their success.
Rotimi
Williams seeks to contribute to the nation’s economy by helping to reduce the
need to import rice through the availability of quality rice made in Nigeria.
Rotimi
has often described himself as a social entrepreneur and has attributed it to
the inspiration for the number of initiatives he has pioneered; such as the
out-of-poverty initiative, which targets secondary school children to spur an
interest in agriculture, with provision for education to empower them up to
tertiary level, as well as the engagement and empowerment of over 100 Fulani
women in rice farming.
Note: The list is not ranked based on importance but my personal view, observation and research and not an official list by any organization or government.
If you know farmers that are
doing well more than the above named ones and you want add to the list, kindly drop
your comment below and we will review it.
Thank you.
Read: Photographs in soil survey
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