From Daniel Kanu
Dr Philips Nto, Director of the Agribusiness Incubation Centre (ABIC) at Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, has urged Nigerian youths to embrace agriculture to become billionaires, tapping into the N14 trillion lost annually to post-harvest mismanagement.
Speaking during a visit by the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN), Abia State Chapter, Nto also encouraged youths to engage in local government politics to influence agricultural decisions.
“The next crop of millionaires and billionaires in Nigeria would be youth entrepreneurs who tap in from the opportunities available in the value chain,” he said, highlighting prospects in processing, preservation, factories, and transport.
Nto praised the Federal Government’s ABIC initiative and the African Development Bank’s agro-processing zones, but stressed strategic siting based on crop advantages to avoid past failures like abandoned silos.
NYCN leader Comrade Smith Silvernus announced the “Abia Youths Back to Farm” programme, seeking ABIC’s support. He welcomed Nto’s advice on political engagement and promised to return with specific collaboration proposals, commending the director’s insights.