reports on the official commissioning of the Multi Million Naira University of Ilorin Integrated Commercial Poultry Farm at Amayo in Ifelodun local government area of Kwara state on Thursday, 21st July, 2022, which was graced by the creme de la creme in the industry and top government functionaries. Presently, there are 55 permanent employees working on the farm:-
The University of Ilorin (UNILORIN) has blazed yet another trail as the first University in Nigeria to key into the Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN’s) initiative for the revival of poultry sector in the country, using the Universities as the veritable vehicle. Hence the assemblage of the creme de la creme in the industry at the commissioning of the UNILORIN Multi Million Naira GGMAX Integrated Commercial Poultry Farm, established under the Tertiary Institutions Poultry Revival Scheme (TIPRES) of the CBN, a vision of the Governor of CBN, Mr. Godwin Emefiele.
In his welcome address, the Vice Chancellor of the university of Ilorin, Prof. Sulyman Age Abulkareem, disclosed that the journey for the poultry project by UNILORIN started in September 2019 with the invitation by the CBN to bring up a proposal for the revival of the Poultry Sector in the country, adding that this was later expanded to include all tertiary institutions in the country, both private and government owned.
He said: “The journey has been long and hard for us as a University. The University took a N600m loan from the CBN at a concessionary interest rate of nine percent (5% for the first one year) and a repayment period of six years, with a moratorium on the repayment of the principal for one year. Zenith bank PLC is the participating financial institution (PFI) on this project. Accessing the loan required the University to set up a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) for the project. The SPV is UNILORIN Bizface Synergy Limited, a Limited Liability Company registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission.
“To guarantee the loan sum, the University worked out an Irrevocable Standing Payment Order (ISPO) with Zenith Bank PLC, ensuring Zenith Bank PLC was paid quarterly the amount due, according to amortization. Government Financial Regulations require the University to obtain an approval and a ‘No Objection’ from the Honourable Minister of Finance and National Development. This process took us 18 months to accomplish, as the whole arrangement was novel to all concerned. Eventually, the loan sum was released to the University through Zenith Bank PLC in February 2022.”
The University having received the loan sum, the Vice Chancellor said construction work on the 30-hectare poultry project commenced in earnest in February 2022, and was elated that by by the middle of May, the Poultry Farm was in a state to receive 17,000 layers, adding that the Poultry Farm now has six fully built broilers pens with a capacity for 5,000 birds each and another two of similar capacity, under construction, to raise the total installed capacity to 40,000 broilers.
Besides, he said there are four fully built layers pens currently housing 17,000 layers, though with an installed capacity of 33,000; a feed mill with an installed capacity of five tons per hour; a semi-automated Broiler Processing Unit (BPU) with a capacity to process 1,000 birds per day; a cold room with a capacity of 10 tons; a blast chiller with a capacity of 500 birds every four to six hours; and a Manure Processing Unit.
He said: “At the height of construction, the site had over 200 artisans earning their daily sustenance from it. Today, the Poultry Farm has 55 full time employees and has created space for our students to work on part time basis as they study. The University has also set aside the sum of N5m for an out-grower programme for the students of Agriculture, Veterinary Medicine and àllied courses in the Faculty of Education. To date, these have been our modest contribution to generating employment and lightening up the local economy.
“The Poultry Farm is also expected to contribute to food security in Nigeria bridging the wide gap between the demand for Poultry products and the supply brought on largely by the ban on importation of poultry products. Importantly, the University will see a huge leap on its Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), making money available for critical aspects of the University’s operations, especially in the areas of research, and physical development. Our research efforts will also be boosted by the Farm as it represents a veritable laboratory for the students and the staff.
“As part of the backward integration, the University is developing a 2,000-hectare land for maize and soya beans cultivation for exclusive use on the Poultry Farm. Another backward integration planned is the establishment of its own hatchery. As a forward integration, we ate planning to establish an egg-powder production facility. In all that we have done so far and what we plan to do, we have kept faith with our Total Land Use (TLU) policy that has been our abiding principle from day one of my administration.”
Abdulkareem, who lauded CBN Governor Godwin Emefiele for the laudable initiative and support he gave to the University, however, stressed the need for the downward review of the interest rate on the loan from 9% to 5% to continue beyond February 2023 to enable the poultry business to flourish.
In his address, the CBN Governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, lamented that, despite Nigeria being the largest producer of eggs and the second largest producer of chicken meat in Africa, the demand gap for eggs and meat outstrips current supply by 1.2Million Metric Tonnes and 140,000Metric Tonnes for meat and eggs respectively.
He said: “Over the years, this demand gap has driven the smuggling of unhealthy frozen chicken into the country. To close this gap, the Central Bank of Nigeria has introduced various Intervention Schemes focused on boosting poultry production, creating decent jobs, fostering innovation in the poultry sub sector. One of such schemes is the Tertiary Institutions Poultry Revival Scheme that was conceptualised specifically for Tertiary Institutions to design and implement viable poultry projects.
“Today we witness the commissioning of the first project to be funded and completed through the Scheme. It is certain that the laudable objectives of the Scheme including improving revenue of tertiary institutions, employment creation and enhancing research into poultry by tertiary institutions are already being realised.
“The 0.6billion funding provided through Zenith Bank at a single digit interest rate of 5% has led to the construction of broiler and layers pen and cages; procurement of over 50,000.00 birds, feed milling equipment, processing machinery and other ancillary poultry amenities..
“Presently, over 40 tertiary institutions have expressed interest in the Scheme through different commercial banks to implement various projects. Such deep and broad interest by Nigerian Tertiary Institutions will definitely culminate in sustainable development of the Nigerian Poultry industry, I enjoin other tertiary institutions to key into the scheme in order to ensure that the broad-based benefits are realised for all.”
Emrfiele, who was represented by Mr. Edwin Nzelu, therefore enjoined other tertiary institutions in the country to follow the University of Ilorin example, noting that such step would no doubt create jobs, practical experience for agriculture students and additional income layers for institutions.
In his speech, Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq has reiterated his administration’s support for agriculture and livestock production in order to boost the state’s economy and create more jobs for the teeming youths.
The Governor, who was represented by the State Commissioner for Communications, Hon. Olabode Towoju, noted that the Unilorin/CBN Commercial Poultry Farm would serve as an avenue to create employment opportunities for the people of the state.
“It is exciting to note that Kwara State is committed to maintaining conducive environment for agriculture and particularly livestock production. It is our sincere hope that the Unilorin GGMAX Commercial Farm will fill up a huge demand for poultry products and reduce unemployment in the country.
“We look forward to the farm serving as a model for other commercial farmers and institutions in the state”, AbdulRazaq added.
Also speaking, the Oloffa of Offa, Oba Mufutau Gbadamosi Esuwoye II, emphasised the huge support of the Central Bank of Nigeria, stating that his farm was also a beneficiary of the bank’s interventions.
The Monarch expressed optimism that “projects like this would compel other farmers to dive deeper into researching for more sustainable means to create a change in agriculture.”
In his goodwill message, a former Vice Chancellor, University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Prof. Oluwafemi Olaiya Balogun, emphasised that the Farm is a ”standing out legacy” project of its kind in the annals of Unilorin, adding that it would boost the much needed Internally Generated Revenue (IGR).