Based on statistics, Nigeria has an arable land area of 34 million hectares: 6.5 million hectares for permanent crops, and 28.6 million hectares for meadows and pastures. It is the second-largest producer of sorghum and ranks fifth in the production of palm oil and cocoa beans. Starting out as an agrarian society, currently, the agricultural sector accounts for about 23 percent of Nigeria’s GDP.
Below is a list of notable agricultural landmarks in Nigeria.
1. The Kano Pyramids in Northern Nigeria
The Kano pyramids are large structures of stacked bags of groundnut grains. These pyramids were invented by Alhassan Dantata, a prominent nut trader. Within five years of his arrival in Kano in 1919, Dantata became one of the most successful businessmen, supplying the Royal Niger Company (RNC) with most of their groundnuts. Dantata’s company kept their nuts at a facility in Kofar Nassarawa and stacked the bags in the shape of a pyramid before they were shipped. One groundnut pyramid can measure up to 15,000 full bags. However, in the 1960s, groundnut production saw a decline due to increasing drought conditions and neglect of agriculture. Though the popular landmark is barely in use, it represents the historical importance of agriculture, storage, and trade in the region.
2. Cocoa House
Cocoa House, located in Ibadan, Oyo State, is an iconic building and a symbol of Nigeria’s cocoa industry. It was built in 1965 and was the first skyscraper in West Africa. It is 26 stories high and has a height of about 105 meters and a land area of 1.7 hectares. The building served as the headquarters for the Western Nigeria Marketing Board, which played a vital role in promoting cocoa production and export in the region. Today Nigeria is among the top global producers of cocoa. Cocoa farms can be found in Ondo, Cross River, Ogun, Akwa Ibom, Ekiti, Delta, Osun, and Oyo states.
3. Songhai Farm
Songhai farm is situated in a 22-hectare parcel of la
nd in the Ouando neighborhood in Porto Novo, Benin Republic (near the Nigerian border). The farm is a renowned agricultural landmark in West Africa and was established by Father Godfrey Nzamujo, a Nigerian priest in 1985. The farm has served as a model for sustainable and integrated farming systems. The Songhai Center has trained more than 500 students and receives thousands of visitors every year. It employs agricultural practices such as organic farming, aquaculture, livestock rearing, and renewable energy utilization.
4. The Ajaokuta Area
Ajaokuta is a town located close to Lokoja, Kogi State, on the left bank of the Niger River. Although it is known majorly due to the Ajaokuta Steel Company, it is an area rich in agriculture. Crops mostly planted in the area include; cassava, maize, and groundnut amongst others. Plots in this government-reserved area are normally given to local farmers to farm for a particular period.
5. Kwali Silo Facility
The Kwali Silo facility is a 100,000 metric tonnes silo complex located in Sheda, Kwali LGA in Abuja. The silo facility which is used as storage for maize, is one out of seven across the federation considered to be the largest in West Africa.
6. Kereksuk Rice Farm
Kereksuk Rice Farm is the second largest commercial rice farm in Nigeria by land size and is located in Nasarawa state in northern Nigeria. Kereksuk Rice Farm spans 45,000 hectares and is mainly used for rice paddy cultivation.
Nigeria’s large arable land area makes it a home to several agricultural innovations from rice farms to fish farms, poultries, silo facilities and so much more.
