The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has committed $5 million to support the implementation of the Livelihood Improvement and Family Enterprises Project in the Niger Delta (LIFE-ND) across three states.
The beneficiary states of this intervention are Akwa Ibom, Imo, and Rivers.
Dr. Samuel Ogbuku, Managing Director of the NDDC, disclosed this in a statement issued on Thursday in Abuja and made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
The disclosure followed an inspection tour of incubator and incubatee centres in the three beneficiary states.
The Federal Government/International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD)-LIFE-ND project, currently being implemented in two phases, is aimed at transforming rural economies in the Niger Delta through sustainable agri-entrepreneurship.
The first phase, which commenced in 2019 and is expected to run until 2025, is funded by IFAD with a commitment of $60 million. It currently covers six states: Abia, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Edo, and Ondo.
NDDC’s expanded role in the project
In August 2024, the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) began implementing the project in its selected states, starting with an initial commitment of $2.5 million.
The NDDC has pledged a total of $30 million toward the LIFE-ND project.
Ogbuku said the funding is aimed at enhancing livelihoods and creating economic opportunities for youth and women in rural communities.
“The overall goal of the LIFE-ND project is to achieve a transformed rural economy in the Niger Delta, from which the rural population can derive prosperity and equal benefit,” he said.
According to him, the project development objective is to enhance income, food security and job creation through agri-enterprise development in a sustainable manner.
He explained that the project has two main components: enhancing economic opportunities for rural youth and women, and effective project management and coordination.
Incubation model for sustainability
Ogbuku noted the importance of the incubator/incubatee model adopted under the project, calling it a community-based master–apprenticeship approach that promotes awareness, ownership, and sustainability.
He noted that teams from the national and state project coordinating offices are involved in the implementation process across the participating states.
The managing director expressed satisfaction with the progress recorded in the level of skills acquired by incubates under the programme.
“The incubators and incubatees are key players in the LIFE-ND incubation model.
“Each state is expected to empower 4,250 beneficiaries within the six-year implementation period, with a deliberate effort to achieve gender balance,” he said.
On commodity focus, he said Akwa Ibom is targeting cassava, oil palm, poultry and aquaculture, while Imo is focusing on cassava, rice, poultry and aquaculture. Likewise, Rivers is working with cassava, plantain, poultry and aquaculture.
He added that these commodities are implemented along the agricultural value chain, from production to processing and marketing.
