By Faridat Salifu
The Lagos State Government has turned agriculture into a launchpad for youth-driven economic transformation, with its Lagos Agripreneurship Programme (LAP) creating over 15,000 employment opportunities and equipping young people with modern farming skills.
Speaking during the closing ceremony for the 26th cohort of participants at the Lagos State Agricultural Training Institute in Araga, Epe, Folake Ogunlana-Lawal, Director of the institute, described the initiative as a game-changer for youth empowerment and sustainable food production.
“Beyond creating jobs, we are nurturing young agripreneurs who apply climate-smart techniques, modern farming technologies, and entrepreneurial skills to expand agricultural value chains across Lagos,” Ogunlana-Lawal said.
The programme, which targets youths aged 18–30, combines one month of hands-on training at Araga-Epe with a three-month internship in agro-allied companies, followed by enterprise incubation support at the Lagos Food Production and Entrepreneurial Centre, Songhai Badagry.
Participants are provided with accommodation, feeding, learning materials, and safety kits free of charge.
Each graduate has reportedly spawned two to three additional jobs, amplifying the programme’s impact to more than 15,000 livelihoods in Lagos.
Analysts say this multiplier effect positions LAP as a national model for youth-led agribusiness and inclusive economic growth.
“The programme equips young Nigerians to take agriculture beyond subsistence farming into profitable, technology-driven enterprises, bridging the gap between rural production and urban markets,” Ogunlana-Lawal added.
The next cohort of trainees is scheduled to begin on February 22, 2026, signalling LASG’s ongoing commitment to expanding youth access to agricultural innovation, climate-smart practices, and entrepreneurial opportunities.
Beneficiaries described the training as eye-opening. One graduate said it taught him how to run a modern agribusiness, manage risks, and scale operations sustainably, skills critical for long-term economic and environmental resilience.
LAP is modelled after Israel’s Arava International Centre for Agriculture Training (AICAT) and reflects Lagos State’s strategic effort to tackle youth unemployment, strengthen food security, and promote environmentally sustainable farming practices.
