Ekiti to Tap Into Lagos’ ₦500bn Food Market Guarantee Scheme.

Ekiti to Tap Into Lagos’ ₦500bn Food Market Guarantee Scheme.

By Olamide Akinwumi. 

The Ekiti State Government has announced its readiness to plug into the ₦500 billion Offtake Guarantee Fund recently launched by the Lagos State Government under the Produce for Lagos initiative — a bold move aimed at expanding structured agricultural market access for producing states.

At the unveiling held in Lagos on Wednesday, Ekiti State was represented by the Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security, Hon. Ebenezer Boluwade, and the Commissioner for Trade, Industry, Investment and Cooperatives, Hon. Tayo Adeola. The duo conveyed Governor Biodun Oyebanji’s commitment to leveraging the opportunity to boost local food production and improve farmers’ income.

Hon. Boluwade, in his remarks, described the initiative as “timely and strategic,” noting that aligning with Lagos — Nigeria’s largest consumer market — would significantly transform Ekiti’s agribusiness landscape.

“For agriculture to thrive, structured access to market is non-negotiable. Lagos presents the biggest of such markets, and we’re coming into this program fully prepared,” Boluwade said.

He revealed that Ekiti, in the past two farming seasons, has cleared over 4,500 hectares of farmland, and currently leads in rice production across the Southwest. He also cited the state's achievements in poultry broiler production under a government-driven model.

In 2024, the state established Ilu Eye Agro Trading and Aggregation Company Limited, a vehicle designed to coordinate produce aggregation and link farmers directly to buyers within and beyond state borders.

“Ilu Eye Agro ticks every box for this programme. This isn’t just talk — we have the systems in place,” he added.

According to him, both states will continue to engage in talks to finalise the commercial structure and rollout plan, with active participation from key stakeholders across the agriculture value chain.

“Our Governor is keen on practical partnerships that unlock wealth and opportunities for our people. This collaboration with Lagos is a clear step in that direction,” Boluwade said.

The Produce for Lagos scheme is a market-led intervention that guarantees offtake of agricultural produce for Lagos consumption, while creating wealth and food security across participating states.