Ekiti state set to commission Nigeria’s largest snail farm

The Ekiti State Government is set to commission Nigeria’s largest snail farm, in Okemesi Ekiti, on Tuesday.

This was according to a statement on the official Ekiti State website, Governor Kayode Fayemi will also tour the facilities on the multi-billion naira farm.

The snail village is also set to become Africa’s second-largest snail farm and is projected to produce 2,600 metric tons of snails annually.

“In line with the Ekiti State Government’s policy of encouraging private investments in the state, the State Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, will be commissioning a multi-billion naira Egbeja Snail Village, Okemesi Ekiti, on Tuesday, January 19, 2021.

“The project, which is a private initiative of Farmkonnect Agribusiness Nigeria Limited, in partnership with Touchstone Snails Technology, Cyprus, is designed to be the largest snail farm in Nigeria and second-largest in Africa, with the capacity to produce a minimum of 2.6 million kg (2,600 metric tons) of snails per annum,” the statement read.

On his part, the Founder, Farmkonnect Agribusiness, Azeez Oluwole Saheed said that the initiative will create jobs for 2,000 individuals.

He explained that slime from the snails would be one of the farm’s exports, as it is in high demand in the hair/skincare and pharmaceutical industries.