The Livelihood Improvement Family Enterprise for the Niger Delta (LIFE-ND) Project has recorded a major milestone in Cross River State, generating a total gross income of ₦5,547,532,882 across its agricultural value chains, in what stakeholders have described as a significant boost to both the state and national economy.


By Victoria Omini 


The State Project Coordinator, Innocent Ogbin, disclosed this during the 2026 Media Roundtable held on Thursday, April 2, at Prof. Eyo Ita House in Calabar. The event reviewed the project’s performance as it transitions from its initial six-year phase into an additional financing window.

Ogbin revealed that the project has created 4,370 direct jobs, with a strong focus on inclusivity. Women occupy 2,009 of these positions, including 398 female-headed households, while 196 persons with disabilities have also been integrated into productive ventures.

He noted that beyond job creation, the LIFE-ND initiative has repositioned agribusiness as a viable economic driver by strengthening agricultural value chains and promoting market-oriented family enterprises. The intervention, he said, is already yielding increased rural productivity, improved household incomes, and a gradual shift from subsistence farming to enterprise-based agriculture.

Central to the project’s success is the incubator–incubatee model, which pairs experienced agripreneurs with emerging trainees to facilitate knowledge transfer, enterprise discipline, and risk-sharing. At least 630 beneficiaries have completed incubation and are now equipped to launch independent agribusiness ventures.

In addition, 2,996 agribusiness operators received business development support in areas such as planning, bookkeeping, and market integration. The project also addressed critical constraints by facilitating the construction of 27.7 kilometres of rural roads and culverts to ease transportation and reduce post-harvest losses.

Further interventions include the development of over 1,100 hectares of farmland, integration of 2,769 beneficiaries into savings groups, and disbursement of more than ₦28 million in credit to over 2,500 participants, boosting rural enterprise activities.

Institutional capacity has also been strengthened through the establishment of 184 producer organisations, 178 enterprise groups, and 97 formally registered agribusinesses, enhancing aggregation, value addition, and market bargaining power.

Experts say the project’s impact extends beyond Cross River, contributing to Nigeria’s broader economic diversification agenda by boosting local production, stabilising food systems, and reinforcing agro-industrial linkages.

During technical sessions at the roundtable, heads of departments in agribusiness, gender, finance, nutrition, and infrastructure presented detailed assessments of progress and challenges. Discussions highlighted improved financial discipline among beneficiaries, increased women’s economic participation, and better household nutrition outcomes.

A high-level panel of development experts and technocrats called for stronger stakeholder collaboration, expanded public-private partnerships, and the adoption of innovative tools such as artificial intelligence to enhance agricultural productivity and market access.

Participants agreed that sustaining the gains of the LIFE-ND Project will depend on effective policy alignment, continuous capacity building, and scalable financing models.

As the programme enters its additional financing phase, expectations are high that its value chain-driven approach will consolidate existing achievements and position Cross River as a key hub in Nigeria’s growing agribusiness sector.