Farmers left in ruins as Ogun N4bn rice project disappears

S Six years after former Governor Ibikunle Amosun inaugurated the MITROS rice project with grand promises to revolutionise and position Ogun State’s agricultural landscape as a farming powerhouse, the N4bn initiative lies in ruins. Investigations reveal that two abandoned rice mills, sitting on 1.2 million hectares of arable land, stand as silent monuments to the state’s unfulfilled potential, writes Olasunkanmi Akinlotan

In 2017, the former Governor of Ogun State, Ibikunle Amosun, stood before a crowd to inaugurate the MITROS rice project and spoke with fervour and hope about the initiative.

The atmosphere that day buzzed with grand promises, as he proclaimed that the initiative would align with the Federal Government’s agricultural growth plan and transform Ogun into a powerhouse of industrial development.

“With this move,” Amosun declared, “as a nation, we must grow what we eat and consume what we produce.”

His words resonated with optimism as he envisioned Ogun reclaiming its historic role in cultivating the renowned Ofada rice, a symbol of the state’s agricultural heritage.

To him, it was more than a project; it was the cornerstone of Ogun’s future, promising economic prosperity and food security.

He further envisioned the state as an industrial hub and a model for others to emulate.

Fast forward to six years, and that vision seems to have crumbled.

The ambitious N4bn MITROS rice project once hailed as a game-changer, has become little more than a memory—a fading echo of unfulfilled promises.

Abandoned rice mills

Instead of productive rice mills feeding Ogun State and beyond, the legacy has become two abandoned, overgrown rice mills situated on over 1.2 million hectares of arable land, which constitutes nearly 74 per cent of the state’s total land area.

These silent structures now stand as stark monuments to missed opportunities and Ogun’s agricultural potential remains woefully untapped.

In 2016, it was reported that only about 350,000 hectares of Ogun State’s arable land were being cultivated.

Despite this, the state has been unable to produce enough rice to meet its local consumption needs.


Of the 20 local government areas in the state, eight—Abeokuta North, Egbado North, Ewekoro, Ifo, Ijebu-North, Ikenne, Obafemi Owode, and Ogun Waterside—are engaged in rice production.

These areas account for 40 per cent of the state’s rice farming activities.

However, the figures tell a sobering story. Research conducted by Evans Osabuohien, Romanus Osabohien, and Uchechukwu Okorie in 2018 revealed that rice output in the state hovers between 15,000 and 20,000 tonnes annually.

With only about 12,000 hectares dedicated to rice cultivation, the state’s contribution to national rice production is a mere 0.7 per cent, as further confirmed by our correspondent.

The Ofada/Veetee rice mill in Itori, established as part of Amosun’s ambitious vision, was also initially seen as a beacon of hope for the state’s rice industry.

With a capacity to produce 75,000 tonnes annually, it was expected to revolutionise rice production and potentially expand to 200,000 tonnes per year.

This mill was meant to position Ogun as a key player in Nigeria’s rice production sector.

Yet, the promise of this mill remains largely unfulfilled, stalled by setbacks and uncompleted plans.

As the dust settles on the MITROS rice project, questions linger: What went wrong? How did a state brimming with agricultural potential fall so short of its lofty promises?

What went wrong?

With N4bn invested in rice production, the installation of two operational MITROS rice mills in Abeokuta and Sawonjo in Yewa North, and additional mills in Egua and Ijebu North East, Ogun State’s rice project seemed destined for success.

These efforts, spearheaded by the state government in collaboration with stakeholders like the IFAD Value Chain Development Programme, were designed to establish a thriving rice industry.

It was expected that such significant investments and resources would lead to a surge in local rice production. But according to aggrieved local farmers, it faced numerous challenges.

In 2022, the state was ranked 10th among Nigeria’s rice-producing states, with a reported output of 200,000 metric tonnes per annum. However, the reality on the ground tells a different story.


High rates of rice smuggling and a scarcity of locally produced rice undermined the state’s agricultural goals, highlighting the gap between statistics and the lived experiences of farmers and consumers.

A farmer from Oja Odan, Bayo Adeyanju, voiced his frustration, arguing that with proper management of the state’s vast rice farmlands and improved processing methods, Ogun could easily supply rice to as many as 12 other states in Nigeria.

His sentiment reflects the growing discontent among many others in several farming communities, who continue to question why the state’s immense agricultural potential remains unrealised.

Grandiose inauguration

During the inauguration of the MITROS rice project, 110,000 bags of rice were proudly displayed, emphasising the scale of the initiative. The event was attended by the then Central Bank Governor, Godwin Emefiele, and the Governor of Kebbi State, Abubakar Bagudu, who chaired the Presidential Task Force on Rice and Wheat Production.

The occasion was further enlivened by performances from musicians, Nollywood stars, and other notable figures to amplify the excitement surrounding the launch.

MITROS rice, a blend between the Nerica 8 and Faro varieties, was marketed as being exclusively planted by local farmers, milled, and packaged in Ogun State.

The rice was set to retail between N1,000 and N11,500 per bag, positioning it as an affordable and locally sourced product.

During the inauguration, Amosun emphasised the state’s commitment to improving the rice value chain.

He highlighted the establishment of three processing mills across Ogun—one in Sawonjo (Ogun West), another in Asero (Abeokuta), and a third in Ijebu North East—designed to improve access for local farmers and provide high-quality products for consumers.

However, with the once-promising MITROS rice project now reduced to little more than a mirage, allegations of corruption and mismanagement have cast a long shadow over it.

Critics have described it as little more than a facade. Many Ogun State residents insist that no substantial rice farming ever occurred under the MITROS banner.

They accuse the government of simply purchasing Ofada rice from the market, repackaging it, and passing it off as MITROS rice.

Investment gone wrong

Amid these allegations, Saturday PUNCH gathered that not only was rice planted, but the government also engaged rice farmers, assisted with land clearing, provided high-yielding seeds, and ensured that the produce was taken for milling and marketing.

In Egua alone, it was learnt that about 1,000 hectares were cultivated, and around 500 hectares of land were made available to the Lagos State Government for rice cultivation in 2012.

However, Lagos State later withdrew from the initiative following claims that the land had been ceded.

The then Commissioner for Agriculture, Ronke Sokefun, while explaining the rationale behind partnering Lagos State, said the land had long been acquired for agricultural purposes by past administrations in the state.

She stated, “There was a strategic reason behind our allocating part of it to Lagos State for rice planting. We only gave them one-tenth of what they requested.

“The terms of the agreement are clear. The Lagos State Government agreed to pay rent to the Ogun State Government, and indigenes would be employed in the programme. Part of the agreement was that the land would only be used for rice cultivation, and the local community would be the first to be engaged on the farmland. This was a pilot scheme.”

A critic and the National Coordinator for the Committee for the Protection of People’s Mandate, based in Ikeja, Lagos, Nelson Ekunjumi, who was dissatisfied with the initiative, petitioned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission over the alleged mismanagement of the N4bn Anchor Borrowers Fund for rice farmers.

He submitted the petition to the EFCC’s office in Abuja on February 28, 2018, urging the anti-graft agency to “probe what the money was used for, as ‘there is no rice plantation anywhere in Ogun.’”

The petitioner accused Amosun of “setting up fake rice pyramids to create the illusion of massive output from the rice plantations. After the ceremony, nothing has been heard of MITROS rice, and no rice plantation established with the Anchor Borrowers Fund exists anywhere in Ogun State.”

Our correspondent gathered that the petition was never responded to, and the allegations were not investigated by the agency up until the time of this report.

One of the supervisors overseeing the rice farm in Egua, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, revealed that 1,500 hectares were cultivated in three phases, but that the project suffered from poor execution, as many contractors failed to meet deadlines.

“The project in Egua had three phases, with 1,500 hectares cultivated in total. Everything went smoothly until harvest time. The contractor for