Gov Otu Approves ₦355m NIFOR Oil Palm Research Complex
Cross River State Governor, Senator Bassey Otu, has approved the release of ₦355.31 million for the construction of a state-of-the-art Administrative and Laboratory Complex, including modern staff accommodation, for the Nigerian Institute for Oil Palm Research (NIFOR) outstation at Creek Town, Odukpani Local Government Area.
The approval was granted at the State Executive Council meeting following consideration of a memorandum presented by the Commissioner for Agriculture and Irrigation Development, Mr. Johnson Ebokpo.
The project is designed to strengthen agricultural research, scientific innovation and technology dissemination, while providing the infrastructure required to unlock Cross River’s vast potential in oil palm production and other agricultural value chains.
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The Governor said the intervention reflected his administration’s determination to transform agriculture from largely subsistence activity into a modern, technology-driven sector capable of generating wealth, creating jobs and guaranteeing food security. He stressed that sustainable agricultural development could not be achieved without deliberate investment in research institutions and the scientific infrastructure required to support farmers and agribusinesses.
According to Governor Otu, “Cross River cannot fully realise its agricultural potential without investing in the science, technology and infrastructure that drive modern agriculture.” He explained that the NIFOR facility would provide an important platform for research into improved and climate-resilient oil palm varieties, effective disease management, specialised nursery development and modern agronomic practices capable of raising productivity.
The project is also strategically aligned with the priorities of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, particularly the strengthening of Nigeria’s agricultural research architecture, expansion of regional field operations and accelerated dissemination of agricultural technologies. It equally supports the resolutions of the 47th National Council on Agriculture on food security, improved agricultural market systems and the mainstreaming of climate-smart agricultural practices across the country.
Cross River, the Council noted, possesses a significant comparative advantage in oil palm production, with favourable agro-ecological conditions, extensive land resources and growing opportunities for high-yield hybrid seedling development and commercial plantation expansion.
The Creek Town-Odukpani-Calabar agro-ecological corridor is therefore considered strategically suited to hosting a major agricultural research and innovation hub capable of serving farmers and investors across the State and the wider South-South region.
The new NIFOR complex is expected to advance research in oil palm breeding, specialised nursery development, phytosanitary disease management, crop protection and downstream processing technologies. It will also provide an institutional platform for collaboration among research institutes, universities, international development partners and private agribusinesses in developing mechanisation models, climate-smart farming solutions and disease-control protocols suited to local conditions.
Beyond research, the facility is expected to stimulate investment across the oil palm value chain by facilitating the production and distribution of certified, high-quality seedlings while providing technical support to farmers and commercial investors. By reducing some of the risks associated with agricultural investment and improving access to scientific expertise, the project is projected to encourage greater private-sector participation in plantation development and agro-processing.
Governor Otu further said the project would have a strong youth and employment component, as the facility would support agricultural extension, vocational training and youth agripreneurship.
“Our objective is not simply to construct another government facility. We are building an institution that will generate knowledge, support farmers, attract investors and create opportunities for our young people,” he said, adding that Cross River’s agricultural transformation must ultimately translate into opportunities and improved livelihoods for its people.
The project is expected to deepen Cross River’s position as a major agricultural investment destination in the South-South, strengthen the State’s oil palm value chain, improve food security, create employment and establish a lasting institutional legacy of research-driven agricultural development under the Otu administration.
SOURCE: GOVERNMENT HOUSE PRESS CALABAR
(DEMOCRACY NEWSLINE NEWSPAPER 13TH AUGUST, 2026)
