Lagos creates over 15,000 jobs through agripreneurship programme

The Lagos State Government says it has generated more than 15,000 jobs through its Lagos Agripreneurship Programme (LAP), a youth-focused initiative designed to equip young residents with modern agricultural and agribusiness skills.

The programme targets youths between the ages of 18 and 30, offering training, internships and mentorship to promote food security, employment and entrepreneurship in the state’s food system.

It aligns with the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Systems’ mandate under the THEMES+ Development Agenda, which prioritises capacity building and job creation.

Speaking at the closing ceremony of the four-week training for the 26th cohort at the Agricultural Training Institute, Araga, Epe, the institute’s Director, Ms. Folake Ogunlana-Lawal, described LAP as a key driver of youth empowerment in agriculture.

She disclosed that more than 5,000 youths have been directly trained under the programme, with each beneficiary creating an average of two to three additional jobs, bringing total employment generated to over 15,000. She added that the next batch of trainees will resume on February 22, 2026.

Ogunlana-Lawal said LAP aims to build a resilient and sustainable agricultural sector by equipping participants with agripreneurial skills, encouraging climate-smart practices, reducing unemployment and strengthening food security.

She explained that the programme, modelled after Israel’s Arava International Center for Agriculture Training (AICAT), adopts a “learning by doing” approach. Participants undergo one month of intensive on-site training at the Araga–Epe centre, followed by three months of internship and mentorship with agro-allied firms.

Trainees are provided accommodation, feeding, training materials and safety kits at no cost, after which successful participants proceed to an incubation phase at the Lagos Food Production and Entrepreneurial Centre in Songhai, Badagry.

The director commended Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Systems, Ms. Abisola Olusanya, and other ministry officials for their continued support, as well as stakeholders and partners who have contributed to the programme’s success.

She urged the trainees to apply their knowledge and remain committed to transforming agriculture, encouraging them to join the Lagos Agrinnovation Club to foster collaboration and innovation.

Some beneficiaries also expressed appreciation for the initiative. Ayodeji Oyindamola John, a graduate of Agricultural Extension and Rural Development, said the programme enhanced his practical skills, while Balogun Saheed Ololade said the training improved his expertise in aquaculture and pig production, pledging to establish his own agribusiness.