NALDA, Arzikin Noma Sign Deal To Manage Ora Mega Farm

The National Agricultural Land Development Authority (NALDA) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Arzikin Noma Limited for the management of the Renewed Hope Mega Farm in Ora, Kwara State.

The partnership is expected to strengthen food security drive and expand large-scale mechanised farming in rural communities.

Speaking at the signing ceremony in Abuja , the executive secretary of NALDA, Cornelius Adebayo, said the project represents a major step in the implementation of President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda for agriculture and rural transformation.

He explained that each Renewed Hope Mega Farm Estate will cover at least 5,000 hectares, equipped with basic infrastructure including hostels, administrative blocks, warehouses, police and security posts and recreational facilities to make farming more appealing to young Nigerians.

According to him, the pilot projects have also commenced in other state such as Ekiti and Bauchi States, while NALDA was working to accelerate implementation and ensure food is available at affordable prices.

Under the agreement, NALDA will provide land and infrastructure while Arzikin Noma will finance and manage farmers on the estates.

He added that the model allows cluster managers to oversee both input and output, ensuring better quality control, extension services, and accountability. The scheme, he noted, is designed to create a sustainable agricultural system that supports mechanisation, enhances productivity, and empowers rural farmers without requiring them to make upfront payments.

The NALDA boss described the partnership with Arzikin Noma as a demonstration of government’s seriousness about food sovereignty, rural development, and private sector participation in agriculture.

“We see Arzikin Noma as a responsible company and NALDA has decided to say these are people we should work with. NALDA has provided infrastructure, but Arzikin Noma is financing the farmers that will plant on these clusters. So NALDA is not involved in input or any other thing,” Adebayo said.

“This project today is going to lead to the creation of the much-needed middle class that Nigeria has lacked for years. Our hope is renewed. Our rural communities are going to be rebuilt,” he added.

In his remarks, group managing-director of Arzikin Noma, Michael Adeshola, said the collaboration reflects a new direction for Nigerian agriculture, one focused on landscape farming, sustainability, and local value addition.

He said the farm estates would promote job creation, youth engagement, and rural stability by integrating housing, training, and social amenities for farmers.

Adeshola noted that the company’s goal is to build a self-sufficient agricultural system that reduces import dependence and encourages multinationals to source raw materials locally. He described the Renewed Hope Mega Farm Estates as a model that would transform the food system in Nigeria and serve as an example for other African countries.

Adeshola said, “There’s nothing stopping us from being the food hub for Africa. With the mandate of opening over 10 million hectares of land in 10 years, I can tell you that with this partnership, Nigeria is closer to solving food insecurity and putting us on the map in terms of food production.”