By Jimoh Babtunde

Former President of Botswana, Mr. Mokgweetsi Masisi, has emphasized Nigeria’s strong potential to generate wealth and achieve long-term economic prosperity through sustained investment in agriculture and its value chains.

Masisi made this observation after touring Agbeyewa Farms in Ekiti State, where he urged governments and policymakers at all levels in Nigeria to create an enabling environment that allows agriculture and agro-allied industries to thrive.

He praised the Chairman of Agbeyewa Farms, Mr. Niyi John Olajide, and his team for taking bold and timely steps in agricultural development. According to him, the level of technology deployment and the quality of the workforce at Agbeyewa Farms are clear indicators of a promising future. He also described Olajide as a passionate African committed to job creation and economic prosperity across the continent.

“Government’s role is to provide an enabling environment, and that environment is policy-driven,” Masisi said. “It requires a strong legal and regulatory framework, as well as incentives. Governments should support agriculture through tax breaks, subsidies, and other schemes. There is no country in the world where agriculture is not subsidized. By doing so, governments create sustainable jobs, improve livelihoods, and enhance food and nutrition security. These measures also encourage investors and public institutions to diversify agricultural output.”

The former president further encouraged Nigeria and potential investors to explore the wildlife economy, noting that the country is losing significant revenue by not fully developing this sector. He explained that wildlife tourism is a major source of income for Botswana.

“There is a whole wildlife economy that Nigeria is not tapping into,” Masisi said. “In Botswana, we generate hundreds of millions from wildlife. We earn revenue from elephants, zebras, antelopes, crocodiles, and other wildlife.”

Also speaking during the visit, Chairman of Cavista Holdings, the parent company of Agbeyewa Farms, Mr. Niyi John Olajide, stated that the farm is focused on maximizing the entire cassava value chain to create more jobs and economic opportunities.

“We are moving into processing while perfecting cultivation, aggregation, and agricultural trading,” Olajide said. “Our goal is to maximize value addition through processing products such as ethanol, cassava starch, and high-quality cassava flour, all of which offer significant benefits to the economy.”

Agbeyewa Farms, recognized as the largest cassava farm in the world, is positioned to enhance food security, supply industrial raw materials, and generate sustainable employment through the use of modern agricultural practices.