By Salawu Nneka Patience
The Kogi State Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security has recorded a 66.5 per cent revenue performance as of September 2025 and has proposed a total budget estimate of ₦13.1 billion for the 2026 fiscal year.
The Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security, Hon. Timothy Ojoma, disclosed this while defending the Ministry’s 2025 budget performance and presenting the 2026 draft budget before the House Standing Committee on Agriculture at the Kogi State House of Assembly.
Hon. Ojoma expressed appreciation to members of the committee for their sustained support for agricultural fiscal policies, noting that the synergy between the executive and legislative arms has continued to drive effective implementation of the state’s agricultural development roadmap under the leadership of Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo.
He revealed that the Ministry generated ₦264.3 million in revenue as of September 2025, representing 66.5 per cent of the revised revenue projection of ₦397.4 million.
The Commissioner further disclosed that approval was secured for the training of 165 youths in hydroponics and aeroponics farming under the Enterprise for Youth in Agriculture (EYIA) programme. He added that the state government also fulfilled its counterpart funding obligations for the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD)-assisted Value Chain Development Programme (VCDP).
For the 2026 fiscal year, Hon. Ojoma said the Ministry is proposing a total budget of ₦13.11 billion, comprising ₦11.83 billion for capital expenditure, ₦776.1 million for personnel costs, and ₦504.6 million for overhead costs.
According to him, the proposed budget makes provision for ₦6 billion for the procurement of tractors, power tillers and harvesters to enhance food security; ₦500 million for the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zone II project; and ₦100 million to support IFAD-assisted value chain development initiatives for cassava and rice.
Other proposed allocations include ₦1.5 billion for agricultural mechanisation equipment, ₦100 million for land and climate change management programmes, and ₦100 million for the rehabilitation and expansion of the Osara Green House.
The Commissioner appealed to the committee to consider increasing the allocation for the Osara Green House from ₦100 million to ₦1 billion, explaining that the proposed upgrade would enable the engagement of the 165 youths trained under the EYIA programme and generate additional employment opportunities across the state.
Earlier, the Chairman of the House of Assembly Standing Committee on Agriculture and Member representing Kabba-Bunu State Constituency, Hon. Seyi Bello, said the budget defence exercise reaffirmed the Assembly’s commitment to ensuring that the agricultural sector receives adequate funding and institutional support for optimal performance.
He noted that the committee’s priority areas include programmes aimed at boosting food production and security, supporting smallholder farmers through improved access to inputs, extension services and credit facilities; promoting mechanised and climate-smart agriculture; encouraging youth and women participation; and strengthening agricultural value chains, including processing, storage and market access.
Hon. Bello assured that the Assembly would subject the proposed budget to rigorous scrutiny in line with the administration’s vision of shared prosperity and sustainable growth, as articulated by Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo, emphasizing that the process is intended to promote equitable, efficient, and sustainable development across Kogi State.
