Leventis Foundation Nigeria Agricultural Training Schools: Free One-Year Farming Training, Requirements and How to Apply

Leventis Foundation Nigeria Agricultural Training Schools

The Leventis Foundation (Nigeria) runs a one-year agricultural training program for young people who want to build careers in farming and agribusiness. Tuition, boarding, and feeding are provided at no cost to candidates who are selected. For Nigerians who want practical farm training rather than classroom theory alone, it is one of the longest-running options in the country.

This is a funded training program, not a conventional scholarship. There is no degree to earn and no cash award described by the Foundation. What the sponsor covers is training, accommodation, and meals, and the sections below set out exactly who qualifies and what to submit.

About the Program

According to the Foundation’s official application notice, it is a charitable organization that has trained youths and farmers in modern, sustainable agriculture since 1987. It operates six agricultural training schools across different agro-ecological zones of Nigeria. The schools in the Federal Capital Territory, Osun, Kano, and Gombe are co-funded with the respective state governments. The Foundation’s website lists these school pages: Dogon Dawa (Kaduna), Idoani (Ondo), Kano, Tumu (Gombe), Ilesha (Osun), and Yaba (Abuja).

The stated aim is to produce committed, practical young farmers who can drive agricultural change in their own communities and help advance the food system.

What the Training Covers

The Foundation describes the one-year program as hands-on, with participants gaining experience across several areas of agriculture, agricultural value chains, and farm enterprises. The official notice does not publish a detailed course outline, a list of modules, or a weekly timetable. If you need that information, contact the Foundation directly.

Separately from the one-year course, the Foundation says it offers consultancy services and targeted short courses. Its 2026 notice lists these topics:

• Processing and packaging
• Poultry production
• Vegetable production
• Beekeeping and honey production
• Fish farming
• Mushroom production
• Value chain development
• Feed formulation
• Greenhouse farming and hydroponics
• Urban farming
• Climate-smart agriculture

The notice describes these as short courses offered in addition to the regular one-year training. Do not assume every topic is a taught module in the one-year program, and check with the Foundation before you apply.

What the Program Covers Financially

The Foundation states that tuition, boarding, and feeding are free for successful candidates throughout the course. These points are not stated in the official notice:

• A monthly stipend or allowance
• Transport costs to the school
• Personal items and toiletries
• Start-up capital for graduates

Applicants should plan to cover travel to the screening and any personal expenses, and should ask the Foundation to confirm what else applies.

Requirements and Qualifications

This is the part of the notice that decides whether you can apply. The Foundation lists these admission requirements “among others,” which means the school can apply additional conditions.

Mandatory requirements

1. Physical fitness. Applicants must be physically fit.
2. Literacy in English. You must be able to read and write in English. Evidence of at least a junior secondary school education may be required.
3. Age. You must be between 18 and 40 years old.
4. Test performance. You must pass both a written test and an oral test before final selection.
5. Interest in agriculture. You must show a clear interest in agriculture.

Advantages that can strengthen an application

• Proof of a farming background is listed as an advantage, not a requirement.

Qualifications

• No university degree or specific academic discipline is required. The only educational benchmark mentioned is the ability to read and write in English, with possible evidence of junior secondary schooling.
• The program is open to both men and women.
• Nationality is not stated in the official notice. Third-party listings describe the program as for Nigerians. If you are not a Nigerian citizen, ask the Foundation before applying.

Older notices have used different figures. A 2019 notice used a different document process, and some earlier years listed an age cap of 35. Use only the figures in the current official notice.

Required Documents

According to the 2026 notice, applicants bring these documents on the day of the examination:

1. A handwritten cover letter.
2. A letter of attestation signed by the Chairman or Secretary of your Local Government of Origin, or by a Justice of the Peace.
3. Two recent passport-sized photographs.
4. Three reference letters.
5. Photocopies of your academic qualifications or other relevant documents.

How to Apply

1. Read the current official notice on the Leventis Foundation website at leventisfoundation.org.ng.
2. Register using the online form on the application page. A third-party report says you can save a draft, but confirm that on the form itself.
3. Choose a preferred training school. The 2026 notice lists addresses for the Osun school (Imo, Ilesa), the Kano school (Panda, Albasu Local Government), and the FCT school (Yaba, Abaji Area Council). Applicants near a school location may also submit a physical application.
4. Gather the documents above and bring them to the screening.
5. Sit the written and oral tests on the screening date.
6. Wait to be contacted if selected. The notice does not describe how or when results are communicated, so ask the Foundation.

For the 2026 cycle, the application deadline was Saturday, February 21, 2026, and the screening was Saturday, February 28, 2026. Both dates have passed. Timing in other years has varied. In 2025 the deadline was February 21 and screening was February 22, and earlier cycles ran in November.

Always confirm dates, documents, and procedures on the official site before you submit anything. Details have changed between cycles.

Support After Training

Graduating from the program does not come with any stated guarantee of employment or funding. One third-party report says the Foundation’s 2026 Agribusiness Funding Programme offers concessionary start-up and expansion capital to current and former Leventis Foundation Nigeria trainees, with grants or loans of up to ₦5 million. I could not confirm this on the Foundation’s own application page, so check the official site for current terms and eligibility. Funding is not guaranteed, and you would apply separately.

Career Value

Practical farm training can support several paths. Depending on your interests and the choices you make after training, these might include running your own farm or agribusiness, working as a farm hand or supervisor, or moving into farm operations roles. With further education and experience, some people progress toward agronomy, agricultural extension, or agribusiness management. Whether training leads to any of these depends on your effort, location, finances, and opportunities. The program makes no promise of income or business success.

Conclusion

The Leventis Foundation’s one-year agricultural training is a free practical program for people aged 18 to 40 who are physically fit, can read and write in English, show interest in agriculture, and pass written and oral tests. Tuition, boarding, and feeding are covered for successful candidates. The last confirmed application window closed on February 21, 2026, so watch the Foundation’s website for the next call and confirm the details there before you apply.

Official contacts listed by the Foundation:

• Email: info@leventisfoundation.org.ng or leventisfoundation@gmail.com
• Phone: +234 (0)708 552 4233
• Contact person named in the notice: Mrs. Janet Egbe-Owoicho