The head of Ohunalumani Limited, Akintunde Boboye, and his team visited IITA on 9 June, seeking partnership and collaboration avenues with the Institute in crop production, export, and land maximization for improved food security in Nigeria. IITA Deputy Director General (DDG) Partnerships for Delivery Kenton Dashiell received the team with West Africa Hub Director Michael Abberton, Advocacy Promotion and Outreach Lead Godwin Atser, and Head of Capacity Development Office Zainatou Soré.
Stating the purpose of their visit, Boboye said, “We are a private company newly coming into agriculture. We are looking to work with IITA in research and production of food crops, intending to expand our work to most southwestern states of Nigeria.”
Their visit was inspired by Boboye’s personal experience of land degradation and the vast array of untapped arable land, useful for crop cultivation, exports, employment generation, and the development of the Nigerian economy.