Nigeria plans to plant 20 billion trees from the next rainy season as part of efforts to restore the environment, create jobs and strengthen the country’s agricultural sector, Vice-President Kashim Shettima has said.
Shettima announced the plan on Thursday during a tour of farms and agricultural facilities in Ethiopia’s Oromia region as part of the Ethiopia–Nigeria Leadership Exchange programme.
He said Nigeria would draw lessons from Ethiopia’s Green Legacy Initiative, which combines environmental restoration with economic and livelihood benefits.
The vice-president also identified Ethiopia’s agricultural transformation as a model for Nigeria and other African countries seeking to achieve food self-sufficiency and reduce dependence on imported food.
According to him, Nigeria intends to adopt improved seeds, mechanisation, climate-smart agriculture and modern farming practices to expand production and strengthen food security.
“We will embark on a massive tree-planting campaign in the next rainy season. It requires a lot of planning, energy and drive, which Ethiopia was able to galvanise its population into doing. We intend to plant 20 billion trees,” he said.
Shettima described food security as a fundamental component of national sovereignty, warning that excessive dependence on foreign food supplies could undermine a country’s independence.
“Food dependency compromises our sovereignty. Without independence in food production, a nation remains incomplete in its sovereignty,” he stated.
He said Nigeria and Ethiopia had the agricultural resources and economic potential to make significant contributions to feeding Africa, urging both countries to strengthen cooperation in large-scale food production.
The vice-president praised Ethiopia for transforming its wheat sector from heavy dependence on imports to self-sufficiency, noting that the country had also begun exporting surplus wheat to neighbouring countries, including Djibouti and Kenya.
He further commended Ethiopia’s progress towards self-sufficiency in rice production, describing the country’s agricultural development as a success story worthy of emulation.
“I am overwhelmed with joy that the real economic renaissance of Africa is in the offing. Ethiopia has become the pathfinder, the front runner in us reclaiming our pride and our continent. We are mightily proud of them,” Shettima said.
“Africa must learn to feed itself. Ethiopia is doing it and Nigeria is on course to do the same. Ethiopia is a success story worthy of emulation.”
He identified agriculture as an area of mutual benefit for Nigeria and Ethiopia, stressing that both countries could learn from each other’s experiences to improve the livelihoods of their citizens.
Shettima also urged other African countries to adopt aspects of Ethiopia’s Oromia agricultural model, which leverages extensive arable land and diverse climatic conditions to boost food production and generate export earnings.
He said closer collaboration between the two countries could improve food security across the continent, particularly given their combined population of more than 400 million people.
“With a population of 100 million people, and a combined population with Nigeria of over 400 million, Ethiopia’s success will reverberate across the length and breadth of East and Southern Africa,” he said.
Earlier, the President of Oromia Regional State, Shimelis Abdisa, outlined Ethiopia’s agricultural achievements and the sector’s contribution to the country’s economy.
Abdisa said more than 200 crop varieties were cultivated across Ethiopia, while the country had expanded agricultural exports, including bananas, avocados and coffee.
He added that wheat production generated more than $3.1 billion annually, noting that Ethiopian wheat was competitive in the international market.
The Oromia president also disclosed that the region was collaborating with the Dangote Group to produce fertiliser for local farmers.
He said the region’s poultry industry had expanded significantly beyond its initial capacity of two million birds, with plans underway for further growth.
During the visit, Shettima toured wheat, banana and papaya farms, where he examined Ethiopia’s agricultural production systems and efforts to expand food output.
