Nigerians consume more than 5 million metric tons of rice every year, with a significant portion of its consumption needs sourced from imports. Rotimi Williams WMB -4.95%, an ambitious 35 year-old Nigerian entrepreneur and rice farmer, is on a quest to change that.Williams, a former Journalist, is the owner of Kereksuk Rice Farm, the 2nd largest commercial rice farm in Nigeria by land size. His farm, which is situated in Nasarawa state in northern Nigeria, currently sits on 45,000 hectares and employs more than 600 indigenes of Nasarawa.
I recently caught up with the budding entrepreneur in Lagos, and had a brief chat with him where he recounted his journey and mused on how Nigeria can attain self-sufficiency in rice production in the near future.
What’s your educational and professional background?
I attended King’s College in Lagos. After attending secondary school at King’s College I proceeded to obtain my first degree at University of Aberdeen where I graduated with a degree in Economics. I also obtained a Master’s Degree in Economics from the same institution. My quest for more knowledge led me to enroll for yet another Master’s Degree at the School of Oriental and African Studies, London where I gained an MSc. in Finance and Development Studies.
Upon graduation, I landed a role as an analyst at the European Economics and Financial Centre in London. Afterwards, Euromoney Magazine- employed me where I covered the African space.
I would say that this is where my journey truly started.
Given your background as a journalist, what informed your decision to venture into rice farming?
While at Euromoney, I had the opportunity to travel around a few African countries. These trips exposed me to countries like Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda, South Africa, Zambia and Ghana. A common thread amongst the aforementioned nations is agriculture. Agriculture is at the very core of these countries and this got me thinking. After a few more trips, I decided to move back to Nigeria and sink my teeth into the agricultural space. Nigeria remains the largest economy in Africa from both a GDP perspective and also the strength of the size of our population.
Upon my arrival back in Nigeria, I got a job at a premier Bank where I was promised to sit on the agriculture desk – my hope was that I would gain enough knowledge of the Nigerian agricultural industry and develop myself from there.
Unfortunately, the agricultural desk at the Bank never quite achieved its set goals. I pushed hard for the Bank to adopt policies and gain inroads into the agricultural industry but my attempts were somewhat frustrated. I sincerely feel that the bank wasn’t quite ready to launch fully into the agricultural space.
As my frustration grew, I decided to quit banking and planned to go it alone into agriculture. Frankly, my decision led to a challenging sojourn as attempts to raise funding with my partner proved difficult. We started a Structured Trade and Commodity Finance company. After a while I started consulting for small agriculture companies seeking to raise capital both locally and internationally.
You currently own the second (2nd) largest rice farm in Nigeria with 45,000 hectares in Nasarawa, Nigeria. What’s the story behind your acquisition of such vast land, and what are some of the challenges you’ve encountered in farming in the volatile northern region?
Two years had past and we still had no funds, so I made an offer to the farm owner, that with a 50-50 split, I would develop the farm with both personal funds and external funding. He agreed and that’s how I became part owner of 17,296 hectares of farmland. Knowing that agriculture would become the integral area of focus in Nigeria, I was bullish and ramped up the land to 55,000 hectares. I later parted with my partner as a result of unaligned views and strategy. I maintained 45,000 hectares for myself and today we have started producing, with our quality paddy being sold to major milling companies in Nigeria. However, I must add the following, I often have people ask how I learned abut farming, as everyone thinks you need a special degree in agriculture to be a farmer, but I always tell them the truth, I learnt it all on Google GOOGL +1.11%. I downloaded every article I could find on rice production, consumed it and then practiced it in the fields.
Frankly, my experience working alongside indigenes of Nasarawa state has been exceptional. I have learnt over the years that if you approach people with respect even more so while one seeks to set up a business venture. Having a healthy sense of community makes all the difference in attaining one’s set objectives. I lean heavily on the wisdom and cultural approach of the indigenes to carry out farming on such a scale here in Nasarawa.
Read the rest of the interview here
Wow!!. like they say " HARD WORK CONQUERS ALL"
ReplyDeleteHe's making naija proud
Delete...merited happiness
Wow! Am so so impressed
DeleteLib addict#just passing#
Oh yes it does.
DeleteLWKM. Laugh at Nigeria's funniest pictures here
Dis is good. Linda take note!
DeleteGood to know.
ReplyDeletePLEASE WHAT AM I TO DO WITH THIS UNNECESSARY INFORMATION? SHOULD I JUMP UP BECAUSE HIS THE SECOND LARGEST RICE farm OR WHAT?
WHERE IS HE FROM? IS HE NOT ALMAJIRI?
#sad indeed
Frankly, you are an example of why people abuse the Nigerian youth. SMH.... Don't worry, information never kills, regardless of whether it is classified as unnecessary or otherwise.
DeleteYou are a no do good, Pls do us a favour by jumping in the well. We need more forward thinkers like him to conquer our challenges in this country. We will trample upon backward thinkers like you and bury you under the mud. Slowly but steadily, we ll surely get there #GodBlessNigeria
DeleteNow, you are confirmed retard. May the devil in you never depart as you continue to wallow in your ignorance.
DeleteYou really are the worst kind of Fool....ignorant and blind!
DeleteSo much inspiration in this story...completely unappreciated by the fool you are.
Farming is the way. Saw a young Nigerian beauty who is into farming and has succeeded in carving a niche for herself. I was inspired
ReplyDeleteGood to know.
ReplyDeletePLEASE WHAT AM I TO DO WITH THIS UNNECESSARY INFORMATION? SHOULD I JUMP UP BECAUSE HIS the owner OF SECOND LARGEST RICE farm OR WHAT?
WHERE IS HE FROM? IS HE NOT ALMAJIRI?
#sad indeed
Bad belle
DeleteYou are far from being a free born you are indeed in bondage. So, your name should be BONDAGE.
DeleteNow, you are confirmed retard. May the devil in you never depart as you continue to wallow in your ignorance.
DeleteNow, you are confirmed retard. May the devil in you never depart as you continue to wallow in your ignorance.
DeleteLearn to RESPECT other people's viewpoints even if you don't agree with it. That is the bedrock of democracy.KYEO
DeleteLearn to RESPECT other people's viewpoints even if you don't agree with it. That is the bedrock of democracy.KYEO
DeleteMay you always sad indeed and never be happy.
Delete**********************hmmmmmmmmmm
ReplyDelete**********************inspiring though...... xo e get Nigerian rice for dix country eeer?????? xo y ix rice sold @ 18 to 20k?????? i really wanto knw??????
ReplyDeleteIs not all of us that would go to school,is not all of us that would work in higher offices in Nigeria let discover our selfs and work toward success...farming is good and so many rich countries depends on farm food.
ReplyDeleteHe wouldn't tell us that he's Obasanjo Son In-law and that's how he got the parcels of land and financing to start. They hide the details and make us believe they started from the bottom, shit. I know Rotimi well, OBJ likes him and financed him, infact it's Military guys who guards his farm in Nasarawa.
ReplyDeleteMakes sense now; wonder how a yoruba man will be farming in the north...his success is based on some corrupt practices!!!
DeleteHe is married to a white woman. Stop spamming us with your lies!
DeleteAnd so???
DeleteThat's what i term *Successful* i wish to be like him someday... Oluwa bless my hustle...
ReplyDeleteNa me talk am!
Long Live Lib!!!
Inspiring
ReplyDeleteIn other news, do you need a natural permanent hair removal solution? Have you heard about thanaka powder and kusumba oil? Google and read about them and send an email to kinibd@yahoo.com if interested in purchasing. Thanks.
a.k.a EDWIN CHINEDU AZUBUKO said...
ReplyDelete.
Damn.... Lots of exposure gave this nigga a fore sight though no doubt....
.
.
***CURRENTLY IN JUPITER***
That's good.
ReplyDeleteImpressive.....@freeborn bamislam suani zinalima dude you are the most stupid, disgusting, annoying, uneducated, foolish, dumb, brainless, idiotic, harebrained, dimwitted, fucking person i have ever got across, i wonder how you were raised or the kind of people we can consider as your parent because charity begins at home they say.
ReplyDeleteWay to go buddy u r an inspiration
ReplyDeleteThumb up for you man, for doing Nigeria proud👍👍👍👍👍May God continue to protect you
ReplyDeleteKudos to ur hustle Bro
ReplyDeleteHis story is incomplete! He forgot to mention that he is past president, olusegun obasanjo's son in law! He got help from the past president so he let pole know cos most people will not make such achievements with just having the funds alone! It is not easy to start that kind of business in Nigeria today!I'm not hating just stating the facts.
ReplyDeleteGuy u need to employ more people tru ur farming business..
ReplyDeleteFreeborn! Freeborn, can someone please call him to order?
ReplyDeleteNote taken ....Agriculture here i come..
ReplyDeleteagriculture is a neglected stone pushed into one corner,two to three years to come it will be a corner diamond stone.
ReplyDeleteNice. A fellow kingsman making us proud. Floreat!!!
ReplyDeleteTop Earning Dead Celebrities
Determination & focus. Never giv up for it's even risky not to take a risk in life... Am inspired #moregreasetoyourelbowsrotimi
ReplyDeleteWE DON'T CARE!!!!
ReplyDeleteCoooool.....Thumps Up Bro!
ReplyDelete@freeborn he's not from the northern part f Nigeria, he's from south south either from cross rivers r from akwa ibom state, but wat if he's from the north don't u think this is a great achievement n his part r do u know how much he's. making n daily base. NAWA OO..
ReplyDeleteDumbass! Sometimes silence is golden, just cos rotimi amechi is from the south south/east don't mean rotimi willliams is also from there. Rotimi is a yoruba name. He is 100% lagosian.
DeleteYoung money
ReplyDeleteAwful.......how it's just five(5) commenters...........
ReplyDelete(for them ITKs.....A commenter is someone who makes isolated comments esp., comments on blogs&news websites while a commentator is someone who provides commentary esp., with regards to professionals in sports broadcasting or television news .............
That's nice
ReplyDeleteHe is on it for good, to us his fellow citizen even to stern who doesn't know how to cultivate but to only eat and brake his silly self in this blog
ReplyDeleteHe's OBJ son in-law
ReplyDeleteNice one!
ReplyDeletesays, Genevieve.
Quite inspiring..Mr freeborn go hug transformer so you can get blown up dumbhead
ReplyDeleteThis Rotimi Williams story is so not true. Its a shame that bloggers and even newspapers are making him a hero without even doing their homework. How sure are you that he owns the second largest rice farm in Nigeria. Did you or any of your investigators pay any visit to the farm or did you confirm the story from the second owner (a plateau state man) of the farm as claimed by him? I know the farm owner and I am 100% certain that Rotimi does not own the piece of land as he said. He was brought into the business and is certainly not the owner of Kereksuk farms. Kereksuk is a plateau name and not a yoruba name. If the farm belongs to him, it should be Rotimi Williams Farm or something of that sort. He is trying to leverage on the efforts of the real farm owner. However, I am happy that his story has inspired a lot of Nigerians but truth be told.... its a big big big lie.
ReplyDeleteThis Rotimi Williams story is so not true. Its a shame that bloggers and even newspapers are making him a hero without even doing their homework. How sure are you that he owns the second largest rice farm in Nigeria. Did you or any of your investigators pay any visit to the farm or did you confirm the story from the second owner (a plateau state man) of the farm as claimed by him? I know the farm owner and I am 100% certain that Rotimi does not own the piece of land as he said. He was brought into the business and is certainly not the owner of Kereksuk farms. Kereksuk is a plateau name and not a yoruba name. If the farm belongs to him, it should be Rotimi Williams Farm or something of that sort. He is trying to leverage on the efforts of the real farm owner. However, I am happy that his story has inspired a lot of Nigerians but truth be told.... its a big big big lie.
ReplyDeleteThis is OBJ farm in the North being managed by his son in inlaw!!!
ReplyDeleteAll this sob stories is hogwash...a big fat lie!!!
Proudly Nigerian
ReplyDeleteEva Da Diva...
And when the guy start exporting rice now @EFCC will want to know where he got his funds from weda Na from FAYOSE ZENITH OR DASUKIGATE. kudos bro
ReplyDeleteThis is impressing, but I think most details are not truly revealed. 45 Hecters of a farm land is not 45 plots.....Thats a Size of some local govt in Nigeria, and how did he arrive at that. When he parted with his initial partner due to mis-aligned strategies, did he pay-off part of his own deal to keep the Hecters of Land, am just asking? The country is tough now for most dubious politicians to export their loot away, so they now look for young vibrant well educated youths to partner with in Businesses. Just my thought oh....I no conclude ohhh....I no jealous the boy tooo....
ReplyDeleteI have to admit you have a point here. I'm not saying he's fronting for a politician but I know many young and smart guys are currently doing that. An old friend once approached me and asked if the company I work for can front for a politician. I gave him an emphatic no after I discussed it with the company's management.
Deletethat's good
ReplyDeleteI am happy for him,but all this note, I no fit read all today.
ReplyDeleteY
ReplyDeleteWow... Some inspirations here, way to go bro! #YoungMoney
ReplyDeleteTHIS IS OBASANJOS FARM. ROTIMI IS MARRIED TO HIS DAUGHTER.
ReplyDeletesame same, got all the informations i needed from google but im on one hectare planting pineapples and maize. fire down bro i coming there no stopping me cos i no get time for clubbing anymore, time for business. ... i am seancecil standing with the truth.
ReplyDeleteLet us appreciate Success,if we come across it.The result of success is hardwork and diligence.
ReplyDeleteJust accquired 11 hectares of land in Abuja for farming... I'm looking for an experienced farmer/crop scientist in green house tomatoes farming to be particular. I can be reached on 08153411061.
ReplyDeleteSo y are we importing rice den
ReplyDeleteBk was here!!