The Ogun State Government has inaugurated a 5,000-birds-per-day poultry processing facility at Ajegunle Farm Settlement in Odeda Local Government Area, expected to reduce poultry importation, create jobs, and boost agricultural output. The facility can process an additional 1.3 million birds annually, strengthening Ogun State’s position as a leading poultry hub.
Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security, Bolu Owotomo, disclosed the development during a tour of Ajegunle Farm Settlement, Eweje Farm Institute, and Odo Fufu. He noted that the facility, acquired under the World Bank-backed Ogun State Economic Transformation Project (OGSTEP), will provide employment for youth and support small and medium-scale poultry operators.
Ajegunle Farm Settlement hosts about 400 resident farmers, with complementary infrastructure including blast freezers, cold rooms, waste processing units, a warehouse, and 20,000-capacity poultry pens attracting private investors. Recently, a private investor completed a 13,000-capacity poultry pen, highlighting the settlement’s growing economic potential.
Owotomo emphasised that these projects are part of broader interventions such as the Value Chain Development Programme, OG-CARES, and Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones, designed to improve productivity, reduce post-harvest losses, and support smallholder farmers. Nigeria’s per capita chicken consumption remains low, at 1.7–2kg annually, compared with 13kg in Ghana and 36kg in South Africa, presenting opportunities for local producers.
At Eweje Farm Institute, ten poultry pens producing 10,000 birds each and five four-bedroom residential buildings have been constructed, while Odo Fufu hosts a cassava processing facility to serve multiple smallholder farmers. The government has encouraged farmers to take ownership of these facilities, with monitoring and evaluation protocols alongside public-private partnerships to ensure sustainability.
Special Adviser to the Governor on Agriculture, Dr. Angel Adelaja, and the Permanent Secretary, Mrs. Kehinde Jokotoye, noted the projects would strengthen food production, improve livelihoods, and contribute to the state economy. Local stakeholders described the facilities as unprecedented, emphasizing that full utilisation would enhance production, create employment, and reduce Nigeria’s reliance on imported poultry.
The facility also provides MSME opportunities, enabling small poultry farmers and agribusiness startups to access processing, storage, and logistics support. Analysts say the settlement could serve as a model for scaling agricultural production and building a self-sufficient poultry industry in Nigeria
