Agricultural businesses in Nigeria are booming businesses. Before the discovery of oil, agriculture was the major economy booster for Nigeria. Agriculture has been around for years in Nigeria and it is not something that will be less active or less productive soon. I remember when I was serving; there was this girl that was into agriculture business even without studying agriculture in school. I got interested and asked her many questions about what she does in the business. I was surprised to learn that she doesn’t even pick up a cutlass or hoe to do the farming. Yet, she makes good returns from the business. This goes to show that one mustn’t be an agriculturist before starting agricultural business.
I asked further how much it cost to start the business and she told me that everything was less than 60,000 naira. All she needed was a land which she said she rented at the cost of 15,000 naira for a year while the human labor she required was around N20,000 in cost plus miscellaneous which added to around 50 to 60 thousand naira. In all, her farming business didn’t require a huge capital or high cost and she was pretty solid and earning a good income from the business. Even as a Corp member, she already had a booming business and a steady income apart from the “allowee” every other “Youth Corper” was receiving.
Different Kinds of Agricultural Businesses in Nigeria and The Best Places to Site Them.
There are different kinds of agricultural business in Nigeria and these include Cassava Farming, Poultry, Rice Farming, Snail Farming, Catfish Farming, Pig Farming, Honey Bee Farming, and so on. Agriculture business is wide with so many options to diversify into depending.
Some of the factors that influence the type/aspect of agriculture one ventures into are the nature of the location, the starting capital, level of education, the type of market available, and so on. As there are many kinds of agricultural practices that once can engage, so are there specific places in Nigeria that are considered best for these agribusinesses.
The remainder part of this article examines the best places to site your agricultural businesses in Nigeria
Rice Farming Business and the Best Places in Nigeria to Site It
Rice farming is one of the most lucrative businesses in Nigeria. Nigerians like rice very much and it is one of most frequently consumed food around the country. In fact, the crop is consumed daily either at homes or in almost all restaurants in Nigeria. You can’t go wrong in rice business in Nigeria. Rice farming requires a swampy area for growing it. So, it is best to get a region with lots of water to practice this rice farming in Nigeria.
Although the Nigeria land is generally good for rice farming, some of the preferred areas are Kano State, Gombe State, Niger State, Kebbi State, Ebonyi State, Anambra State, Nasarawa State, Ogun State, and Ekiti state. These states are known to have varieties of rice. Over the years, it has been reported and observed that farming and production of rice has been lucrative in these areas. So, you wouldn’t go wrong if you choose to site your rice farm in any of the aforementioned locations. Before you go into rice farming, it is imperative that you search and find out the most suitable ways and methods to go about it for success and longevity in the business especially if you’re in for the long-term.
Pig Farming and the Best Places in Nigeria to Site It
Another booming agricultural business in Nigeria is Pig Farming. Pig farming can be tedious and requires lots of attention but it’s a very productive business. Take the dirt away and the smells, then you have for yourself a diamond-in-the-rough kind of business. Recently, I visited one of my friends who raise pigs. There, I saw a very big Pig and asked him how much he will sell it. He laughed and said it won’t be less than a million naira. I was shocked because in my reasoning the majority of Nigerians don’t seem to like eating Pork (i.e., pig meat).
Against my assumptions, my friend explained to me how pig is now a booming business in Nigeria. He reliably informed me that the volume of people in Nigeria that consume pork presently is in very high demand.
Talking of location to start this agribusiness, I can reliably inform you that just about any place or area in Nigeria is good for pig business. However, I recommend the Southern and Western states for this business. My reason for not recommending the Northern part of the country is that that area has a larger concentration of Muslims. Islam forbids eating of pork; so starting the business in the North might just be a suicidal mission and would be dead-on-arrival unless the targeted audience is Christian and non-Muslims in the region.
Best Places to Site Your Agricultural Businesses in Nigeria
Catfish Business and the Best Places in Nigeria to Site It
Catfish business should never be undermined as far as starting an agribusiness in Nigeria is concerned. Ever eaten barbecue catfish before and see how costly it is? The business of catfish is cashing out big time and it doesn’t matter which area you are, it will always boom. The most recommended places to site catfish business in Nigeria are student-populated area around universities and polytechnic, next or opposite major event centres, Housing Estate junctions, Supermarkets, and other high-traffic density areas with mid-to-high income earners. The barbeque catfish is in high demand in school area because students like it very much thereby making it a highly profitable business in these areas in Nigeria.
Honey Bee Farming and the Best Place in Nigeria to Site It
When it comes to the use of refined Sugar, many Nigerians have deviated from it due to its health complications. People have looked for an alternative, a better replacement for sugar. The only health benefit of refined Sugar is the supply of glucose to the body which can also be gotten from other food sources. Since Sugar complicates health issues and causes diseases such as diabetes, Honey has become the major food sweetener in many Nigeria homes.
Owning a Honey bee farm is a very lucrative business and can be done anywhere in Nigeria. There is no pinpointed place for the business because anywhere it is done, it is always appreciated and commands huge patronage from the people. If at all the business doesn’t move at a particular area, the honey can be transported to and sold in other states in Nigeria.
Cassava Farming and the Best Places in Nigeria to Site It
This particular type of farming is one of the best and most diversified businesses in Nigeria. Cassava farming has helped a lot to eradicate hunger in major places, if not in all, of Nigeria. During famine in one of the African countries, Nigeria government transported several thousand bags of Garri to the said country to lessen their burden of hunger. Garri is made from cassava. Out of over 200 million people in Nigeria, at least each home has a product of cassava at home because apart from rice, it is a major food item in every Nigeria home in the country.
Cassava can also be turned into some major food like Amala and its product which is Garri can also be turned into Eba. Cassava farming can be done anywhere in Nigeria and since its product are mostly use by the Eastern and Western parts of Nigeria, it is recommended to start a cassava farming business in this region.
Conclusion
Agricultural business in Nigeria is very lucrative no matter what you do. Whether you are planting tomatoes or running a pond or doing poultry business, there will always be a buyer for each product as long as it is affordable and easy to access. Before you start agribusiness in Nigeria, ensure that you carry out careful market survey and do a lot of research before diving into it because a wrong move and place to start an agriculture business can be a burden to you in the long run. It can even run you into losses if not properly researched and managed.
In conclusion, pick from this list of lucrative agricultural businesses in Nigeria and start a business with it as soon as possible. Ensure that the area of agriculture that you want to go into is productive, do a proper and rigorous research before running the business and launch out. With God, dedication and hard work, you will make a decent return in the business. I wish you the very best.
