Established in 2000, the Niger Delta University (NDU) is a Bayelsa State Government funded university which is located in Wilberforce Island (an island of great historic significance) about 30 kilometers from Yenagoa – Bayelsa State capital. Our logo reflects the riverine and petroleum-rich milieux of the State, while the Vision and Mission are summarized in the motto (Creativity, Excellence, Service). The biodiversity of the extensive surrounding landscape opens opportunities for various collaborative research activities. Since academic activities started in 2001/2002 session, we have grown from an intake of 1039 students to a thriving population of more than 20,000 students and 3518 academic and non-academic staff with a main campus and a College of Health Sciences campus in Wilberforce Island and a satellite campus housing the Faculty of Law in the State capital. In NDU we provide our students with the opportunity to change their lives in a friendly environment. Our academic and non-academic staff are creating a conducive academic environment focusing on the development of the abilities of students. The existing twelve faculties provide diverse opportunities.

I invite you to explore our website, where you can learn more about our university and the many opportunities for you to get involved. Should you have ideas, concerns, or suggestions that you would like to share with us you may contact me at University came into being in 2000 by Law, started academic work in 2001/2002 with 1,500 students with seven faculties and the College of Health Sciences. Currently the University has the following faculties; Arts, Education, Engineering, Law, Management Sciences, Sciences, Social Sciences, Agricultural Technology (2002/2003), Basic Medical Science (2006), Nursing and Pharmacy. There are three campuses. The main campus, Gloryland Campus, College of Health Sciences and the third, established in 2007 at the Bayelsa State capital, Yenagoa, where the faculty of Law is situated. Presently, the University has a total of Sixty-one programmes, fifty-six of which have full accreditation status, academic staff strength of over 1000 and student population of over 20,000. Postgraduate courses started with five courses in 2011/2012, in the following areas: Fisheries, Biological Science, Physics, Geography and Environmental Management and Pure and Applied Chemistry.

CULTURE & RELIGION

The rich cultural heritage of Bayelsa State, where the University is located, is expressed by the variety of her festivals through which the people recreate their past and reposition their culture to the present. Virtually every community in Bayelsa State has their own unique way of celebrating their cultural feast. One of such cultural festival is the Seigben Fishing and Feasting Festival in amassoma in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of the state where the university is located. This is an age-long annual tradition held at the Seigben Ogugu Lake in Amassoma, Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of the State. It is usually graced by beautiful dances, dresses and performances of the Egbelegbele dance troupe among others. Other major activities that accompany the festival include art and craft, dietary habits, wrestling, a Love Boat party and singing. The festival is held every year on the 30th of May. The carnival nature of the celebration attracts people from all walks of life. Other notable ones are

The Lake Efi Fishing Festival in Sabagreia in Kolokuma/Opokuma Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.
Ogoriba Uge Festival in Odi in Kolokuma/Opokuma Local Government Area of the State.
Eremutoru Festival in Peretoru in Ekeremor Local Government Area.
Obunem Festival in Epie Clan in Yenegoa Local Government Area.
Idumangi Festival in Nembe in Nembe Local Government Area and many more others.

All these are graced by elaborate cultural performances which draw visitors from far and near. The University has its own Students week were various cultures are displayed, graced by beautiful dance performances, unique dresses, wrestling and singing, giving students an opportunity to socialize, chat and learn diverse cultural ways. The predominant religions in the State are Christianity and Traditional worship.

SOCIAL LIFE

The University has these facilities for social, sporting and recreational activities such as sporting centres, medical/health care services, catering, clubs, associations, societies, fellowships, museum, student viewing centre, staff bar, theater art centre and internet centre. There are also provisions for Guest houses, Shops and security post.

Other services that the University enjoys within its environs are fishing festival, telecommunication services, PHCN Connectivity to the national grid, A teaching hospital at Okolobiri, staff club, restaurants, shops, bars , secondary schools and some public/private primary schools, police post and recreational centres are also domiciled in the town. The town is also serviced by financial houses like Banks, daily main market, and also religious centres.

The student week is graced by lots of cultural performances and display by the theatre group, dancing, singing, wrestling, football match, basketball, lawn tennis, table tennis, beauty pageant, rag day and a lot more gives one opportunity to have fun, socialize, make new friends and interact with one another. Yenagoa, which is a few miles from campus has Museum, a vibrant night life, with lots of bars, clubs and restaurants including one located just a couple of minutes walk from the city centre campus.

TRADE & COMMERCE

Niger Delta University is born into a state (Bayelsa state) with abundance of oil and gas, and agricultural resources such as fishing, farming, palm oil milling, lumbering, trading, carving, weaving amongst other opportunities. Bayelsa State is a major oil and gas producing state and it contributes about 40% of Nigeria’s oil and gas production. There are hundreds of oil wells and flow stations across the state. Oloibiri in Ogbia Local Government Area of the state is where oil was first struck in Nigeria in commercial quantities in 1956. Gas production activities are currently being intensified in the State.

The Brass LNG Gas Supply Plant that supplies 53% of the gas feedstock to the LNG plant in Bonny is located in Oluasiri in Nembe Local Government Area of Bayelsa State. Gbarain, Ubie LNG Gas Plant in Yenagoa LGA of the state, when completed will not only supply gas to Bonny Plant, but will also supply gas to the Electric Power Plants in the state. This will add to the national power grid. The major oil exploration and production companies operating in the State are Shell, Agip and ChevronTexaco.

The Kolo Creek Gas Turbine Project owned by the Bayelsa State Government supplies electricity to Yenagoa, the State Capital, and surrounding towns and villages including the University. Obunagha Gas Turbine will supply power to parts of Yenagoa, Sagbama, and Kolokuma/Opokuma LGAs.

Bayelsa State is, presently, the only State in Nigeria that provides electricity for itself without any supply from the National Electricity Grid. In addition to oil and gas, the State has large reserves of clay, sand and gravel’s of importance to the industrial sector. The land and climate in Bayelsa support the cultivation of both food and cash crops. These include oil palm, rubber, cocoa, rice, plantain, banana, yam, cocoa yams, coconut, cassava, sugarcane, sweet potatoes and pineapple.

Bayelsa has a natural and environmental advantage for profitable investment in rice production. The floodplain soils back swamp soils and the mangrove swamp which are suitable for rice cultivation constitute about 7,134,68km (52.42 per cent) of the total land cover of Bayelsa. Amongst rice farms are The Burma rice project undertaken by Agip, the 1,200 hectare Peremabiri rice project established in 1958 by the Niger Delta Development Board and few farms in small private holdings are operational. The major private rice farms like Otuokpoti rice farm in Ogbia local government area and the Akassa rice farm in the Brass area, which provide popular and high -demand rice for the state and its neighbours. There is also a Commercial Cassava Starch Processing Factory at Ebedebiri in Sagbama local government area.

Bayelsa State is a major producer of oil palm / palm kernel in the country. Government-owned and small individual holding plantations are also available. The state government has stalled a 10/20 tonne /hr oil mill to take care of the processing needs of its 1000-hectare oil palm plantation in Elebele, Ogbia area. Palm produce would also be lucrative to employ them as raw materials for the production of high demand products. Rubber tree is also commonly found in Bayelsa state, with plantation mostly based in the Ogbia, Sagbama region.

Fisheries and aquatic resources are among the major natural endowment of Bayelsa as a very large percent of the state is surrounded by water. The state has Aquaculture Farms, Fish Processing and storage facilities in the state to boost food production for local consumption and export with a capacity of about 1500 metric tones of Cat fish with 500 metric tons of Tilapia making a total of 2000 metric tons of fish per annum and a fish processing factory with a capacity of 2500 Metric Tonnes and a Cold Storage.

INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES

Niger Delta University is born into a state (Bayelsa state) with abundance of natural resources that offers a variety of opportunities for profitable investment in nine economic sectors including agriculture, energy, fisheries, infrastructure, tourism, manufacturing, research, solid minerals and transportation. These have been classified into seven investment areas of agriculture, agro based industries, forest and agro-forestry, fishing, mineral resources, infrastructure and transportation and tourism.

Agriculture

The land and climate in Bayelsa support the cultivation of both food and cash crops. These include oilpalm, rubber, cocoa, rice, plantain, banana, yam, cocoayams, coconut, cassava, sugarcane,sweet, potatoes and pineapple. The Bayelsa state Government encourages investment in food production, especially the development of crops that thrive in the local environment like cassava, rice and plantain. Investment potential in this sector includes the development, production and marketing of these agricultural resources.

Rice Production and Cultivation

Rice is a staple food and the most rapidly growing food source in Africa. It also serves over half of the world`s population. Its production is facing serious constraints, with diminishing land and water resources, hence the current global initiative towards its sustainable production. The Niger Delta is one of the wettest places on earth. Most of Bayelsa, which occupies the central Niger Delta, is very wet, an indication of its suitability for the cultivation of wet rice. Bayelsa has a natural and environmental advantage for profitable investment in rice production. The floodplain soils back swamp soils and the mangrove swamp which are suitable for rice cultivation constitute about 7,134,68km (52.42 per cent) of the total land cover of Bayelsa.

Investors can team up with local farmers or public agencies. The Burma rice project undertaken by Agip illustrates the viability of such partnerships. Presently, few farms in small private holdings are operational. The major private rice farms like Otuokpoti rice farm in Ogbia local government area and the Akassa rice farm in the Brass area, which were providing popular and high -demand rice for the state and its neighbours, have lain follow for over half a decade because of financial constraints and lack of milling tools. The 1,200 hectare Peremabiri rice project established in 1958 by the Niger Delta Development Board and inherited by the Niger Delta Basin and Rural Development Authority has been out of use since 1992. At the moment, all rice consumed in Niger Delta states is imported. A major investment in rice production in Bayelsa State would obviously be a productive economic venture to cater for the growing need for the staple food by Nigerians, and allied industries as well as for export.

Poultry

There is dearth of poultry products in Bayelsa State, even in the face of sky-rocketing demand for eggs and chicken, which are basic sources of animal protein. At the moment, Rivers and Delta State supply poultry to the open market and catering businesses. A great potential thus exists for the development of large-scale poultry farms in Bayelsa State. The few poultry farm that exist are smallholdings. Large-scale poultry farming to produce egg and broilers, as wells as turkey farming, feed production and marketing, would certainly be lucrative and economically worthwhile investments in the state. But such business would also have to overcome the challenge of common poultry diseases like brooder pneumonia, gumboro, coccidiosis and fowl typhoid.

Agro-Based Industries

The agricultural base of Bayelsa State is extremely rich. Food and tree crops like cassava, plantain, sugar cane, coconut, oil palm, African mango, rubber and seasonal food crops like maize and fruits, as well as timber, which are abundant locally and can, provide sources of raw materials for allied industries. This defines the need for agro-industrial development that involves the utilization of these resources in cottage and large-scale industries to serve local needs, and also for export. Along these lines, the potential exists for the establishment of a variety of industries in the state.

Food Storage and Export

This offers the opportunity to store and preserve excess production, especially for seasonal crops that are perishable over short intervals of time but are in high demand for direct consumption and as raw material input in allied industries. In the fruiting periods of seasonal crops, waste is inevitable as farmer’s race against time to dispose of their products. As much as this reduces threat economic valve of farmers produce, it also diminishes morale, puts a clamp on productivity and so affects the overall local food production industry.

The Bayelsa State government, in its resolve to join the international Alliance against Hunger, is interested in providing central storage facilities to cater for excess production in order to minimize losses by farmers. However, none is yet in place. Food storage and perseveration facilities would open up avenues for intense activity in crop production and increase the opportunities for exportation of crops such as plantain, banana, pineapple, orange and grains, which are readily available. With a steady source of power in the state, there are no peculiar or insurmountable challenges to this investment option.

Beverage and Fruit Drinks

The fruit drink/ juice industry can be supported by the increased production of various crops like pineapple, banana, pawpaw, African mango, cocoa, maize and coconut. Such industries are as yet non-existent in Bayelsa. Opportunities exist for small, medium and large-scale investors in this industry.

Palm Oil Processing

The oil palm tree is the most ubiquitous crop in this part of Nigeria. In Bayelsa State, wild groves of oil palm trees are the major source of edible oil. Indeed, Bayelsa State is a major producer of oil palm / palm kernel in the country. Government-owned and small individual holding plantations are also available. The abundance of this cash crop is a potential for investment in palm oil processing and allied industries in the state.

Palm Oil Mills

Palm oil processing mills would employ modern techniques for the commercial production of palm oil, palm kernel and kernel oil from the palm fruit. In some communities in Bayelsa state, the traditional methods of boiling and pounding to extract oil, and manual cracking of the nut to obtain the kernel are used. However the old screw –type hand –press device is still in use in small mills in most communities. Hence production is obviously limited. Large –scale production of palm oil requires modern tools and large capacity process in mills. The state government has stalled a 10/20 tonne /hr oil mill to take care of the processing needs of its 1000-hectare oil palm plantation in Elebele, Ogbia area. There is great potential for investment in oil palm production as the mill’s capacity needs at least over 50,000 hectares to satisfy capacity. There is a large capacity for exportation of processed oil palm products including palm oil (edible oil), palm kernel/kernel oil. But would also be lucrative to employ them as raw materials for the production of high demand products.

Palm Oil Association Industries

Large–scale availability of palm oil and kernel is an attractive potential for investment in the production of vegetable oil, Detergents and soaps. The ban on importation of all classes of soap in the country in January 2004 creates opportunities for investment in this area, such as cream, pomade, industrial oils and industrial alcohol Crushed kernel provides feed extract for fish and poultry farming none of such industries presently exist in Bayelsa state despite the large consumer market.

Coconut Processing and Export

Coconut is moderately grown in homesteads in most parts of Bayelsa state; but most commonly in the Nembe and Yenagoa area. It is also cultivated in plantations and dispersed naturally by water; hence it grown in most riverine area and beaches. The coconut fruit is consumed locally and used for export.
Its concentration in Bayelsa state provides investment opportunities in the in the following area: the development coconut plantations; confecting industry production of coconut –flavored confectioneries; cosmetic industry, the production of cream, soaps and oils; export of processed product s/coconut fruits. By –product of coconut processing can also be used for feed in aquaculture and poultry farmer. Presently, the coconut fruit is yet to be utilized in any of these ways in Bayelsa or neighboring state.

Rubber Processing

Rubber tree is commonly found in Bayelsa state, with plantation mostly based in the Ogbia, Sagbama region. The lack of industrial demand for rubber in Bayelsa state has had a negative impact on rubber cultivation. However the current situation provides opportunities for investment in: the development of rubber plantations; rubber processing factories for production latex and glue for the wood, paper, leather products and allied industries. Rubber seed oil is used in soap and paint manufacturing, for production of soaps, liquid soap and alkyd resins for paint making. Rubber seed cake is useful as protein substitute in animal rations especially in poultry.
In the meantime, latex tapped from plantations in Bayelsa is sold for industrial use in rubber processing factories in the neighboring Delta state. A local rubber factory would have a steady source of raw materials within Bayelsa state.

Forest and Agro-Forestry Resources

The rich forest resources of Bayelsa offer opportunities for investment in three major areas, namely timber and non-timber forest products (NTFP), mangrove resources and conservation.

Timber Processing

The freshwater and brackish water swamp forest, as the riparian forest formations in Bayelsa State, represent a rich ecosystem that is home to a variety of commercially important species of timber. Some of the more common include iroko, bau cotton tree, iron tree and mahogany. Forest timber supplies the building of construction trade, furniture makers and boat builders and chemical industries, as well as providing fuel wood and charcoal.

Saw dust is also useful for making particle and paper boards. Investment in this area is possible in the small medium and large scale. Presently, timber felled in Bayelsa forests are transported as logs either by road or bonded and float along the waterways to Port Harcourt sawmills in neighboring River State. Some is processed locally at small mills to feed the woodwork industry, timber sheds and the building and construction industries. A small amount of sawed wood is loaded for sale outside the state.

Fisheries and Aquatic Resources

Fisheries and aquatic resources are among the major natural endowment of Bayelsa. The demand for fish in Nigeria is rising due to the prohibitive costs of animal meat. Also, the active development of the fisheries sub-sector and utilization of the abundant aquatic resources guarantee high foreign exchange earnings and a positive impact on unemployment figures in the country. There is also the guarantee of a handsome return on investment. Three investment areas are identified under fisheries and aquatic resources, namely fish, sea, food and spin-off industries and aquatic plants.

The vast water resources of Bayelsa, where the sea, rivers, creeks, rivulets, lakes and swamps constitute a greater percentage of the total land cover, other enormous potential. Fish and sea food may not be quantifiable but their abundance is demonstrated by the successful all-year-round fishing in the state, thus creating a huge industry for both artisanal and mechanized fishing. However, presently fish production in Bayelsa is disappointingly low.

Current artisanal coastal fishery production is estimates at 70,000 tonnes annually but potential production is estimated to be in the region of 200,000 tonnes per annum. Inland fishing, including aquacultures is insignificant because of seasonal effects, inadequate participation and business development constraints. Opportunities in fisheries development thus clearly exist.

Fishery resources in Bayelsa State are exploitable for large-scale investment. Brackish marine and inland fisheries (including swap and lakes) produces a wide variety of fin fish and shekkfish species of high food value and commercial importance. Some common fish species available in Bayelsa waters include saltwater species like bonga sardines, shad, mackerel, jacks, Atlantic bumber and long neck croaker, freshwater species such as cat fish, tilapia and zilli. Investment potential in fish / fishing include commercial large-scale fishing / trawling, deep-sea fishing , commercial aquaculture fish farming / pond development, fresh fish preservation, freezing and storage and export, canning for local and export market, fish oil and fish meal production. Presently in Bayelsa State, fishing in the brackish and coastal marine zones, and the inland freshwater is done by both full-time and part-time fishermen and women, including children. Full-time fisher folk are found in temporary or permanent settlements or fishing villages scattered along the coastline of the state and by the banks of big rivers. Local fishermen and women work from canoes using a variety of low tech fishing gear. In the brackish and coastal marine zones larger canoes or trawlers are used. Great opportunity abounds for large fish trawling and improved fishing methods to facilitate large catches.

Bayelsa State was created from the former Rivers State on October 1, 1996; the State is still a relative young Nigerian State whose infrastructure development has been in response to the pace of socioeconomic development. Presently the government is offering opportunities for private sector from participation in the form of individual investments and partnerships that, it hopes, will contribute to rapid growth and development. Investment opportunities thus exist in the areas of housing and hospitality, commercial infrastructure development and telecommunication.

The large influx of businesses in Bayelsa, especially in the oil, banking, communication, commerce, education ad civil service sectors, is increasing the state population which places an urgent demand on accommodation. Investments in real estate, for building of new homes, hostels, office complexes and hotels at strategic locations are needed. Although developmental necessities may bring a number of areas into focus of this type of investment, investors may presently target the state capital Yenagoa, brass and Amassoma.
Bayelsa also offers investment opportunities in telecommunications. More wireless networks, especially GSM, are required to boost the present local area network by NITEL and GSM network that operates in Yenagoa and other parts of the state to facilitate ease of communication and business growth.

Water Transport

It is well know that about 45.16 per cent of Bayels1s 12,000km square land area is covered by water. Boats from hand-peddled canoe, Terries and speedboats, are therefore the main way of moving cargo and people around. Marine y-travel is expensive yet in high demand as all local government areas can be reached via the waterways. The neighboring states of Delta, Rivers and Anambra are also accessible by water Bayelsa there is additional pressure to move goods between Port Harcourt and other neighboring commercial cities, as well as Bayelsa communities, especially Yenagoa.

The oil industry has also created the need for a constant and rapid transport system. The expanding tourism sector created an added demand making passenger and cargo transportation by boat a particularly high-activity area to invest in. in the meantime, the Bayelsa State government is looking into providing transport on designated water routers. But the need for more investment in this area is still urgent.

Boat-Building

The prominence of the water transportation network creates a potential for investment in the boat-building industry, Canoe-building is a major craft throughout the state, meeting the people’s water transport needs, especially rural dwellers. The same can be said for ferries which have low fares and are regarded as safe. However, speed-boats, made with plastic and fiber-glass hulls are faster and preferred by urban dwellers and visitor. At present most of the locally made speed-boats used in the state are built by Almarine and Epenal boat builders, both based on Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital. There are two boat-building yards in Yenagoa but they are well-known. This leaves lucrative room for investment in speed-boat building in Bayelsa State.

Ports

The deep-sea channels of the Nun River estuary in the Brass area provide the potential for development of a modern seaport in Bayelsa State. During the Atlantic slave trade, when the Portuguese, Spanish, French and British made contact with the Niger Delta, Brass became a leading city-state in the region. Foreign Trades used its port in Akassa to ship slaves and subsequently legitimate produce. The inland waterways are also navigable by light sea-going vessels. With the growing development of the oil industry and Nigeria’s export drives, a seaport in Bayelsa becomes a necessity. Meanwhile, the government is privatizing national seaports, including those in Lagos, Calabar, Port Harcourt, Koko, Bonny and Sapele. This is an indication that private participate is sought in this economic sub-sector. Presently the Agip oil export terminal at Two-Brass serves as an export route for Nigeria’s oil

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