Abubakar Kyari elected IFAD Governing Council chair; President Tinubu congratulates him, praising his contribution to Nigeria’s agriculture
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has congratulated Abubakar Kyari, Nigeria’s Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, on his election as chairperson of the Governing Council of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD).
The announcement was confirmed in a statement by presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga.
Senator Kyari, previously serving as vice-chair of the IFAD council, was unanimously elected to head the organisation’s 49th Governing Council, the body’s supreme decision-making authority.
President Tinubu described the election as a vote of confidence in Kyari’s capacity and the agricultural reforms he has championed in Nigeria.
“The election of the Agriculture and Food Security minister is a confidence vote in his capacity and the reforms he spearheads in Nigeria’s agriculture and food security value chain,” the president said.
“I have confidence that Senator Kyari will give IFAD the right leadership and deepen its relevance and impact, especially at a time of global food security crises.”
The 49th IFAD Governing Council session also highlighted the role of young rural entrepreneurs in transforming global food systems.
Guest speaker Tony Elumelu, Chairman of Heirs Holdings, stressed that investing in agriculture and youth-led initiatives strengthens communities, reduces poverty, and supports sustainable economic growth across Africa.
As Kyari assumes his new role, IFAD approaches its 50th anniversary and prepares for the launch of its fourteenth replenishment consultations, reaffirming partnerships with rural communities, governments, and the private sector to achieve lasting results.
Senator Kyari has previously credited President Tinubu’s policies with stabilising Nigeria’s food prices, combining efforts to boost local production with temporary imports to ensure immediate availability, while addressing structural weaknesses in the agricultural sector.
Fresh concerns have emerged over compliance with a court order issued by the High Court of Kano State on April 8, 2026, restraining key parties—including the Honourable Minister of Education, the Kano State Ministry of Land and Physical Planning, the Kano State Urban Development Authority, and Pluck Global Company Limited—from further actions pending the determination of the matter before the court.
Findings indicate that while all parties—except the concessionaire, Pluck Global Company Limited—were duly served within two days of the order, significant challenges were encountered in effecting service on the company, raising troubling questions about its corporate traceability and regulatory vetting.
A review of the company’s records filed with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) revealed addresses that could not be verified as functional business locations. Notably, documentation submitted to Federal Government College (FGC), Kano, dated June 20, 2024, listed two addresses: 8B, Lalupon Street, off Keffi Street, off Awolowo Road, Ikoyi, Lagos, as its head office, and 3 Bargery Road, Bompai, Kano, as its branch office.
However, a physical visit to the Ikoyi address revealed that the entire property is occupied by a company identified as Golden Alchemy, whose staff категорically denied any knowledge of, or shared occupancy with, Pluck Global Company Limited.
Efforts to trace the Kano address yielded even more unsettling findings. The location—a locked duplex—showed no visible signs of commercial activity. Neighbours, while reluctant to speak on record, alluded to irregular movements at odd hours, casting further doubt on the legitimacy of the premises as a corporate office.
In a twist, after multiple attempts to establish contact, an individual purportedly representing the company surfaced in Kano and agreed to receive and acknowledge the court order on April 11, 2026, at approximately 6:00 pm. Curiously, the Ikoyi address—already discredited—was again listed as the company’s official address in the acknowledgment.
These developments raise critical questions regarding due diligence and Know Your Customer (KYC) protocols on the part of the Federal Ministry of Education. They also cast a spotlight on the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC), should a concession agreement indeed have been executed with the company. Stakeholders say it would be instructive to review the addresses contained in all official correspondences and contractual documents linked to the transaction.
Meanwhile, a visit to the premises of Federal Government College, Kano, revealed ongoing construction activity, with workers observed excavating foundations. When approached, the workers declined to disclose the authority under which they were operating—despite the subsistence of a court order restraining further action.
Notably, a previously installed project billboard bearing the insignia of the school authorities and the Federal Ministry of Education had been removed. Sources within the institution suggest that the directive for its removal may have emanated from the Ministry following receipt of the court order.
The unfolding situation presents a complex mix of legal, regulatory, and accountability issues—raising the spectre of possible non-compliance with judicial directives, as well as deeper concerns about transparency in public-private concession arrangements.
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