LEVENTIS FOUNDATION SIGNS MOU WITH ABUJA ENTERPRISE AGENCY ON ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT
By: Emmanuel Tortiv
The Leventis Foundation Nigeria, a renowned charity organization dedicated to training youths and farmers in modern and sustainable agricultural practices, on Tuesday November 4th, 2025 signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Abuja Enterprise Agency (AEA) — the Federal Capital Territory Administration’s (FCTA) vehicle for wealth creation, employment generation, and entrepreneurial development.
Speaking before the signing ceremony held at the premises of Leventis in the Central Business District, the Executive Director of the Foundation, Dr. Hope Usieta, expressed optimism that the agreement would facilitate purposeful training for students in tertiary institutions, enabling them to acquire entrepreneurial skills before graduation. He also noted that farmers trained under the Foundation’s scholarship programmes would have the opportunity to benefit from AEA’s grants and intervention schemes.
Dr. Usieta explained that the MoU seeks to strengthen the sustainability and entrepreneurial dimensions of the Foundation’s training programmes, adding that AEA has earned widespread recognition for its role in developing small and medium enterprises across the FCT.
He emphasized that both organizations share a common mandate of empowering Nigerians through capacity-building and entrepreneurship, expressing confidence that the partnership would enhance inter-agency cooperation and impact.
Highlighting the Foundation’s track record, Dr. Usieta disclosed that the Leventis Foundation has operated for over 36 years in partnership with various state governments, establishing training centres across the country, including one located in Yaba, Abaji Area Council of the FCT.
According to him, the Foundation’s training model comprises 80% practical and 20% theoretical components, with core focus areas including crop production and agroforestry, livestock production and fisheries, farm mechanization, and enterprise development — the foundation upon which the new collaboration with AEA is built.
“With over 32,000 farmers trained nationwide and 70% currently engaged in one form of agribusiness or another, this MoU aims to expand the impact of our programmes while aligning with government agencies also promoting agribusiness,” Dr. Usieta said.
“So, when we heard of the Abuja Enterprise Agency, the name spoke for itself — Enterprise! Agriculture today is about moving from subsistence to agribusiness, and that has been our focus over the past decade.”
In his remarks, the Acting Managing Director/CEO of AEA, Dr. Chudi Ugwuada-Ezirigwe, described the partnership as timely, noting that collaborations have consistently produced tangible outcomes for the Agency.
“For us, partnerships and collaborations pay — especially when there is a clear-cut modus operandi,” he said. “I believe this relationship will be mutually beneficial, particularly as we are not a profit-driven organization.”
Dr. Ugwuada-Ezirigwe further explained that AEA’s departments — including those focused on inclusion — would actively participate in the partnership, ensuring smooth coordination without bureaucratic bottlenecks.
He commended the FCT Minister, Barrister Nyesom Wike and Minister of State Dr. Maryam Mahmoud for the continued support towards the Agency.
Also speaking, the Chairman of the Leventis Foundation and A.G. Leventis Nigeria, Mr. Ahmed Mantey, who witnessed the signing alongside senior management officials from both organizations, commended the initiative. He expressed confidence that the MoU would yield significant benefits for both institutions and their stakeholders, fostering a productive and enduring working relationship.
