Campus News

FG selects Unilorin for Green Money Scheme

The Federal Government has selected the University of Ilorin as one of the pilot institutions for ‘The Green Money Project’, a Presidential Initiative commissioned to tackle youth unemployment and food insecurity by empowering young Nigerians in agriculture and ensure national food security.

 The Special Assistant to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Agriculture, Mr  Abiodun Yinusa, disclosed this last Thursday (April 24, 2025) when he visited the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Wahab Olasupo Egbewole, SAN, in his office.

Represented by Engr Hakeem Olugbode, the Special Assistant described the Green Money initiative as a transformative movement to reposition agriculture as a viable and attractive sector for young Nigerians.

He explained that the Green Money scheme is more than a federal initiative, it is a national movement to restore dignity to farming, to empower our youths and secure the food system for generations to come.

               The Presidential Special Assistant stressed that the university system, particularly institutions like the University of Ilorin with strong academic reputations, will play a pivotal role in this movement. According to him, “the University of Ilorin has a reputation as a beacon of academic excellence and national relevance. Your legacy in research, discipline, and societal impact makes this institution a natural partner for the Green Money project. We want you to stand with us as a strategic partner in this movement.”

               Engr Olugbode explained that the initiative aims to attract, train, and support young individuals by equipping them with modern agricultural skills, including mechanisation, smart farming, and digital agricultural technologies. He said that the goal is to not only reduce youth unemployment but also create a new generation of agripreneurs who will drive innovation and growth in Nigeria’s agricultural sector.

He noted that the programme will be implemented across all six geopolitical zones of the country, with each participating institution receiving adequate support in terms of training, equipment, and technical resources. He added that partnerships will also be forged with key government ministries, agencies, and departments, alongside collaborations with non-governmental organisations, donor agencies, and development partners.

Welcoming the team to UNILORIN, the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Egbewole, pledged the University’s full support for the Green Money Agriculture Scheme, describing it as a timely initiative that aligns with the University’s vision for food security and youth empowerment.

While noting the institution’s readiness to provide the necessary infrastructure, including access to land, to support the successful implementation of the scheme, Prof. Egbewole assured that the University would actively mobilise and sensitise students on the importance and benefits of the project.

He noted that the Faculty of Agriculture at the University already engages students in practical farming activities where the farm produce cultivated by students is regularly sold to members of the University community. With additional support from the Green Money initiative, the Vice Chancellor expressed confidence that these efforts would be significantly enhanced.

Prof. Egbewole said, “This existing foundation aligns perfectly with the objectives of the Green Money project and provides a strong platform for its successful implementation. At present, the University has a Memorandum of Understanding with the British American Tobacco Nigeria Foundation, through which our alumni are being supported with agricultural tools and funding to launch their own agribusinesses. Additionally, we have a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) with Oriental Energy Farms, which plans to develop 4,000 hectares of land for maize and soybean cultivation, with value-added processing. These initiatives not only contribute to hunger reduction but also serve as practical training opportunities for our students.

               The Vice Chancellor revealed that UNILORIN had previously secured a ₦600 million loan from the Central Bank of Nigeria to establish a poultry farm in demonstration of the University’s proactive approach. He said that the initiative has already yielded significant results, with the University now producing over 3,000 eggs daily.

He, however, sought the consideration of the Federal Government to convert the loan from the CBN into a grant for the University, saying, this would further strengthen the University’s agricultural capacity and consolidate its alignment with the objectives of the Green Money Scheme.

The Project Coordinator, Mr Charles Olufemi Folayan, said that President Tinubu is deeply concerned about the growing threat of hunger in Nigeria and is fully committed to tackling it head-on through strategic partnerships and innovation-driven policies.

He explained that the scheme was initiated under the guidance of the Office of the Special Assistant to the President on Agriculture and it has received presidential approval and the backing of several relevant government ministries, departments, and agencies, which include the Federal Ministry of Education, the Federal Ministry of Youth Development, the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, and the Federal Ministry of Livestock Development.

In recognising the University of Ilorin as a strategic partner, the Project Coordinator, said his team observed the University’s strong academic reputation, availability of infrastructure, committed leadership, and an existing agricultural base as major factors in its selection. He added that the institution’s long-standing contributions to agricultural education and food production align with the objectives of the Green Money initiative.

 Mr. Folayan noted that one of the major concerns addressed by this new scheme is the disconnect between agricultural studies and career uptake by graduates. According to him, “Many students who study agriculture do not pursue careers in the field, resulting in a gap between academic knowledge and national agricultural development needs.”

The Project Coordinator explained that the scheme aims to reverse this trend by making agriculture a viable and attractive path for young people. It will do so by equipping them with mechanised farming tools, providing agricultural inputs, offering practical training, and facilitating zero-interest loans to support agribusiness startups.

               While calling on stakeholders across sectors to support its implementation and success, Mr Folayan added that President Tinubu has declared a state of emergency on food security, which signals the urgency and importance of projects like the Green Money Scheme.

Meanwhile, the Project Consultant, Prof. Musa Isiyaku Ahmed, said with over 60,000 students, vast expanse of arable land, and a proactive administration already investing in agriculture, the University of Ilorin is an ideal pilot location.

While pointing to the University’s existing agricultural value chain initiatives as evidence of readiness and alignment, the Consultant noted that funding allocated for the project would be most impactful in institutions and would be easy to trace as a result of existing strong governance structures where accountability is ensured.

 Prof. Ahmed, who is a former Vice Chancellor, Federal University of Agriculture, Zuru, also said that the University’s Technical and Entrepreneurship Centre (TEC) was highlighted as a critical component in the implementation of the scheme, because it offers a platform for practical training, innovation, and student involvement. He added that the project will adopt a model that prioritises academically stable students, to ensure that participation does not compromise their primary academic responsibilities.

The Project Consultant, who has previously served as the Director of the Computer Services and Information Technology (COMSIT) Unit, University of Ilorin, presented a questionnaire to the Vice Chancellor, saying that it is to better understand the University’s specific needs and areas for alignment. He added that the responses would guide further evaluation and inform the team’s final report to the Presidency.

The Vice Chancellor was joined to receive the team by the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Research, Technology and Innovation), Prof. Muhtar Adeiza Etudaiye; the Registrar, Mr Mansur Adeleke Alfanla; the University Bursar, Mr Abiodun Lawal; the University Librarian, Prof. Kamaldeen Tunde Omopupa; the Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture, Prof. Oluyemisi Fawole; the Ag Head of the Department of Agronomy, Dr Kehinde Olayemi Affinnih; and the Director of UNILORIN GGMAX Farm, Prof. Suleiman Olawoye Salami.