Former President Olusegun Obasanjo and Gombe State Governor Inuwa Yahaya on Tuesday inaugurated a state-of-the-art seed processing plant built by Premier Seeds Nigeria Ltd.
The facility, located within the Gombe Industrial Park, was supported by the UK Government’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) under its Propcom+ climate and agriculture initiative.
Governor Yahaya highlighted the significance of the new plant to the state’s economy, pointing out that over 80 percent of Gombe’s population depends on agriculture for survival. He said the facility would boost seed quality, improve yields, and enhance food security across the region.
“The factory will give our farmers access to high-quality, climate-smart seeds, boosting productivity and food security across the North-East and indeed Nigeria,” he said.
Obasanjo, founder of Premier Seeds, stressed the central role of quality seed in agricultural output.
He commended the state government for creating an enabling environment through the industrial park, saying the initiative would spur investment and tackle unemployment.
Director-General of the National Agricultural Seed Council (NASC), Mr Fatuhu Buhari, said the plant would unlock the North-East’s potential as an agro-industrial hub and aligns with Pillar 3 of President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda on food security and job creation.
Propcom+ Country Representative, Dr Adiya Ode, said the UK Government-funded programme’s investment in the seed processing facility would help close the gap in the availability and affordability of certified seeds across North-East Nigeria.
Ode explained that the plant was designed to strengthen the supply chain for improved, certified, climate-resilient seed varieties.
She said the facility would enable smallholder farmers to access high-yielding, drought- and flood-tolerant, disease-resistant, and bio-fortified seeds at significantly reduced costs.
According to her, the intervention will also address critical logistical challenges that hinder farmers’ access to quality seeds in the region.
Premier Seeds’ Managing Director, Dr Ibitoye Oyewale, described the facility as a milestone that raises the company’s processing capacity from 20 metric tonnes per hour to 35 metric tonnes, thereby improving farmers’ productivity and profitability.
