₦airaland Forum

Ogun State Government has expanded its poultry production capacity with the completion of a 5,000-birds-per-day processing facility at the Ajegunle Farm Settlement in Odeda Local Government Area, increasing the state’s annual processing capacity by an additional 1.3 million birds.


The Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security, Hon. Bolu Owotomo, disclosed this during a tour of agricultural facilities at Ajegunle Farm Settlement, Eweje Farm Institute, and Odo Fufu in Odeda and Yewa South Local Government Areas.

The tour formed part of the first phase of an assessment of ongoing and completed agricultural projects across the state under the Ogun State Economic Transformation Project (OGSTEP).

Hon. Owotomo said the new processing plant would significantly reduce poultry importation while strengthening local production.

He noted that Ajegunle Farm Settlement, designated as a poultry hub, currently hosts about 400 resident farmers and has continued to attract private investment following the provision of complementary infrastructure such as blast freezers, cold rooms, waste processing facilities, a warehouse with fitted offices, and 20,000-capacity poultry pens.

According to the commissioner, a private investor has recently completed a 13,000-capacity poultry pen at the settlement, underscoring its growing economic importance.

He revealed that the state government, through OGSTEP, has delivered 28 agricultural projects across Ogun State in the last two years. Other intervention programmes, including the Value Chain Development Programme (VCDP), OG-CARES, and the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones (SAPZ), he added, have also played key roles in revitalising the agricultural sector.
“These projects are designed to increase food production, improve farmers’ livelihoods, and reduce post-harvest losses in Nigeria, which are currently estimated at ₦3.5 trillion annually,” Owotomo said.

Highlighting the need for increased local poultry production, the commissioner noted that Nigeria’s per capital chicken consumption ranges between 1.7kg and 2kg, compared to 13kg in Ghana, 36kg in South Africa, and 46kg in Brazil.

He added that despite importing about 70 per cent of its poultry needs, Nigeria still lags behind in consumption.

At the Eweje Farm Institute, where 10 poultry pens with a combined capacity of 100,000 birds and five four-bedroom residential buildings have been constructed, Hon Owotomo assured that sustained investment in agricultural infrastructure would further position Ogun State as Nigeria’s leading poultry hub.

At Odo Fufu in Ilaro, Yewa South Local Government Area, the commissioner said the newly completed cassava processing facility would boost value addition, reduce waste, and improve farmers’ incomes.

On sustainability, Owotomo stressed the importance of farmer ownership, effective monitoring, and Public-Private Partnerships to ensure long-term viability of the projects.

“We are encouraging farmers to take ownership of these facilities, while the Ministry will ensure strong monitoring and evaluation alongside Public-Private Partnerships to guarantee sustainability,” he said.

In separate remarks, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Agriculture and Food Security, Dr Angel Adelaja, and the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Mrs Kehinde Jokotoye, expressed confidence that the projects would significantly improve productivity and strengthen Ogun State’s economy.

Also speaking, the Principal of Odeda Training Institute, Mr Ademola Benco, and the Chairman of Ajegunle Farm Settlement, Mr Rotimi Sogunle, described the projects as unprecedented, noting that their full utilisation would further enhance agricultural production in Ogun State and Nigeria as a whole.

The commissioner was accompanied on the tour by the Chairman of the House Committee on Agriculture and Food Security, Hon. Waliu Owode, as well as directors from the Ministry.