FG Launches Extension Corps, Trains 1,884 Agricultural Workers to Boost Farming across Nigeria
- The federal government launched the Grassroots Digital Extension Corps, training 1,884 personnel across Nigeria's 36 states and the FCT
- Nigeria's extension agent-to-farmer ratio stands at 1:10,000, far below the FAO-recommended ratio of 1:1,000
- Minister Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi said agriculture could contribute up to $300 billion toward Tinubu's $1 trillion economy target
PAY ATTENTION: Mark Legit.ng as a preferred source, and our content will appear higher in your Google feed!
Abuja, FCT - The federal government has launched the Grassroots Digital Extension Corps (GDEC), training 1,884 agricultural personnel to close the gap between research institutions and Nigerian farmers at the grassroots level.
The initiative, developed by the National Agricultural Development Fund (NADF) in partnership with the Federal Department of Agricultural Extension, comprises 1,110 agricultural extension agents and 774 food security specialists deployed across all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
Source: UGC
The national launch was held in Abuja on Wednesday, July 23, 2026.
Nigeria's Agriculture Gap Drives the Initiative
Speaking at the event, the minister of state for agriculture and food security, Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, said the sector currently accounts for about 26 per cent of Nigeria's Gross Domestic Product and employs more than 70 per cent of the population, yet contributes only about $1 billion to the country's foreign exchange earnings.
He said improved extension services could help unlock the sector's estimated $300 billion potential, noting that agriculture alone could account for as much as 30 per cent of President Bola Tinubu's $1 trillion economy vision.
Abdullahi pointed to Nigeria's low crop yields as a key problem. He said yields for several Nigerian crops remain between 1.3 and 1.5 tonnes per hectare, compared with about 11 tonnes per hectare recorded in Egypt under irrigation. On cassava, Nigeria leads global production at an estimated 63 million metric tonnes annually, but its average yield of six to seven tonnes per hectare still falls short of its potential.
"If your extension services and advice to me is not market-centric, you are just deceiving the farmer. You are wasting his time and discouraging him," the minister said.
He called for GDEC to be integrated with the ministry's existing National Electronic Extension Platform to avoid duplication, and proposed a ministerial-level committee to unify the country's agricultural extension delivery system.
Ratio of 1 Agent to 10,000 Farmers
NADF Head of Policy and Advocacy, Yejide Olarinde, described the shortage of extension workers as one of the biggest obstacles holding back Nigerian agriculture. She said Nigeria currently has roughly one extension agent for every 10,000 farmers, far below the Food and Agriculture Organisation's recommended ratio of one agent to 1,000 farmers.
She said this shortage has left farmers without timely access to guidance on soil management, pest control, climate-smart practices and market opportunities.
NADF Executive Secretary Mohammed Ibrahim said the success of GDEC will not be judged by how many personnel were trained or how many devices were distributed, but by the number of farmers reached and measurable gains in productivity.
Director of the Federal Department of Agricultural Extension, Engr Dr Taiye Tehinse, said digital tools such as the FarmEasy platform would support extension workers in data collection, communication and agricultural decision-making. He called for the programme to actively include women, youths and persons with disabilities.
Seyi Tinubu’s Agric Initiative Trains 64,734 Youths
In a related development, the Seyi Tinubu Operation Back to Agriculture Initiative (SOBAI) has graduated 837 students from its training programme at the Kubwa centre in the Federal Capital Territory, as the group pushes forward with plans to reach 20 million Nigerian youths by 2030.
SOBAI National Coordinator Emmanuel Bidi said 1,121 students enrolled for the Abuja session, with 837 completing the full course. The graduates are now waiting for empowerment support to launch their own agricultural businesses.
"The vision goes beyond training, with the aim of helping beneficiaries build sustainable businesses that create jobs and contribute to food production," he said.
Source: Legit.ng
