Dr Philips Nto, Director of the Agribusiness Incubation Centre at Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, has called on Nigerian youths to embrace agriculture as a reliable route to becoming billionaires. He appealed during a courtesy visit by the Abia State Chapter of the National Youth Council of Nigeria. Nto pointed out that Nigeria loses about N14 trillion every year due to poor handling of harvested crops. He believes this gap presents a golden opportunity for young entrepreneurs to step in and transform the sector.
He explained that the future of wealth in Nigeria lies in the hands of youths who are willing to explore the full agricultural value chain. According to him, massive opportunities exist not just in farming but also in areas like food processing, storage, packaging, factory production and transport logistics. These, he said, could turn determined young Nigerians into the country’s next generation of millionaires and billionaires.
Dr Nto praised government-backed initiatives such as the Agribusiness Incubation Centre and agro-processing zones funded by the African Development Bank. However, he emphasized that these facilities must be strategically located based on regional crop advantages. He warned that if this is not done right, it could lead to failures similar to the now-abandoned government silos that once dotted the country.
The NYCN’s state leader, Comrade Smith Silvernus, revealed a new initiative titled “Abia Youths Back to Farm” and sought the support of the incubation centre to make the program a success. He also expressed appreciation for Nto’s encouragement for young people to become politically active, especially at the grassroots level. According to Silvernus, being involved in local politics will give youths a voice in key agricultural policies that affect their future. He promised to return with concrete plans for collaboration and praised Nto for his forward-thinking approach and practical advice.
The conversation between the youth leaders and the agribusiness expert highlighted a shared vision—getting young Nigerians back to the land, not just to grow food but to build wealth and drive national development.
