By Simeon Shodimu
As Nigeria grapples with food security concerns and evolving investment realities, a new model is emerging that promises to address both challenges simultaneously. Agro-real estate—an innovative blend of land ownership and agricultural production—is steadily gaining ground as a viable, sustainable asset class. In a bold move to bring structure, transparency, and credibility to this space, a coalition of leading real estate firms has come together to launch AgriNova, a consortium positioned to redefine how Nigerians invest in land and agriculture.
A group of prominent real estate firms in Nigeria has unveiled AgriNova, a consortium established to deliver structured, transparent, and data-driven agro-real estate investment opportunities across the country.
The initiative comes at a time when the convergence of agriculture and real estate is increasingly viewed as one of the most strategic investment frontiers in emerging markets. By combining land ownership with active agricultural production, agro-real estate offers a dual-income model—generating returns from farming activities while the underlying land asset appreciates over time. The model is also seen as sustainable and relatively resistant to inflation, providing passive income streams typically managed by professional developers.
Despite its promise, the sector in Nigeria has been hindered by poor information flow, lack of transparency, and the activities of unregulated operators. These challenges, stakeholders say, have led to widespread investor dissatisfaction.
“Over the last decade, thousands of investors have participated in land and agro-related investments that lack structure, accountability, and transparency. The result has been predictable: misaligned expectations, poor execution, and capital loss. This is what AgriNova has come to correct,” said Dr. Emmanuel Abikoye, Coordinator of the consortium and President of the Billionaire Realtors Group (BRG).
According to him, AgriNova operates as a structured agricultural asset platform, integrating multiple estate developers into a unified execution framework. The system is built on verified land allocation, standardised plantation development, and a production-based income model designed to ensure accountability and measurable returns.
The consortium brings together a diverse network of real estate firms, including Assetrise Limited, BRG (as marketing partners), Gracias Global Homes and Property, Eystone Development, Zularich Properties, GHP Properties, Landvest, Prime Pinnacle, Urban Living, and Auspicious Properties.
Explaining the vision behind the collaboration, Oluwadurotimi Ojamamoye, Chief Executive Officer of Assetrise Limited—the consortium’s operational partner—said the alliance is aimed at reducing investment risks while elevating agriculture to a more impactful role in the national economy.
“We have come together to reduce risks and advance agriculture in Nigeria to a level that will contribute meaningfully to GDP growth and create employment opportunities for our youth. We are united as one voice to lead this new agricultural revolution,” he stated.
Under the AgriNova model, developers allocate clearly demarcated plots of land to investors, manage the farming operations, and generate returns based on the yield from each plot. Income is derived strictly from the sale of agricultural produce, while investors retain full ownership of their land assets.
The consortium is commencing operations with oil palm cultivation, a crop widely regarded for its commercial viability and long-term profitability.
Dr. Ololade Abuta, Chief Executive Officer of Gracias Global Homes and Property, emphasised the need for institutional backing to scale the initiative beyond individual participation.
“Agriculture is critical. Our vision goes beyond retail investors; we aim to secure recognition from the Federal Government and engage in transactions that extend beyond Nigeria, given our capacity,” she said.
The initiative has also received industry endorsement. Dr. Tony Kolawole, Chairman of the Lagos Chapter of the Real Estate Developers Association of Nigeria (REDAN), described AgriNova as a timely and necessary innovation.
“This is an innovation that the world needs now. It combines both the benefits of property ownership and agriculture. We cannot live without food, as a nation is sustained through agriculture,” he remarked.
Kolawole further commended the consortium partners for their foresight and urged real estate professionals to explore opportunities within agro-real estate, describing it as a forward-looking segment capable of reshaping the industry.
