The Ogun State Government has significantly strengthened its poultry production capacity with the completion of a5,000-birds-per-dayprocessing facility capable of handling an additional 1.3 million birds annually, amoveaimed at reducingpoultry importation andboostingfood security in the state.
The new facility, located at Ajegunle Farm Settlement in Odeda Local Government Area, was constructed under the Ogun State Economic Transformation Project (OGSTEP).
The Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security, Honourable Bolu Owotomo, disclosed this during the first phase of his inspection tour of ongoing and completed agricultural projects across Odeda and Yewa South Local Government Areas, including Ajegunle Farm Settlement, Eweje Farm Institute, and Odo Fufu.
Owotomosaidthe state remains committed to supporting farmers and scaling up food production, noting that Ajegunle Farm Settlement—designated as a poultry hub—currently hostsabout400 resident farmers.
He added that newly installed complementary facilities such asblast freezers, cold rooms, waste processing systems, warehouses with fitted offices, and poultry pens with a 20,000-bird capacity have continued to attract private sector investment.
According to the commissioner, a private investor has recently completed a 13,000-capacity poultry pen within the settlement, further underscoring its growing economic importance.
He revealed that the state government, through OGSTEP, has completed 28 agricultural projects across Ogun State in the last two years, while otherinterventionprogrammessuch as the Value Chain Development Programme (VCDP), OG-CARES, and Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones (SAPZ) have also played key roles in revitalising the sector.
“These projects are aimed at increasing food productivity, improving farmers’ livelihoods, and reducing post-harvest losses in Nigeria, which are currently estimated at ₦3.5 trillion annually,” Owotomo said.
Highlighting the poultry consumption gap, the commissioner noted that Nigeria’s per capita chicken consumption stands between 1.7kg and 2kg, compared to 13kg in Ghana, 36kg in South Africa, and 46kg in Brazil, despite the country importing nearly 70 per cent of its poultry needs.
At the Eweje Farm Institute, where 10 poultry pens capable of producing 10,000 birds each and five four-bedroom residential buildings have been constructed, Owotomo assured that sustained investment in agricultural infrastructure would further position Ogun State as Nigeria’s leading poultry hub.
Meanwhile, at Odo Fufu in Ilaro, the commissioner said the newly constructed cassava processing facility would enhance value addition, reduce waste, and improve farmers’ incomes across the area.
On sustainability, he stressed the importance of ownership and accountability.
“We are encouraging farmers to take ownership of these facilities. There will be strong monitoring and evaluation by the Ministry, alongside Public-Private Partnerships, to ensure long-term viability,” he said.
In separate remarks, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Agriculture and Food Security, Dr Angel Adelaja, and the Permanent Secretary, Mrs Kehinde Jokotoye, affirmed that the projects would significantly boost 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 initiatives as unprecedented, noting that full utilisation would further enhance agricultural output in Ogun State and Nigeria as a whole.
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