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Claim: A Facebook user claimed that Russia had announced its plan to establish the world’s largest grain farm, valued at over $30 billion, in Abia State.
Verdict: False. There is no evidence that the Russian government has announced such a project in Nigeria. DUBAWA’s fact-check confirms that the claim is baseless and lacks credible sources.
Full Text
False claims about Abia State have become increasingly frequent and have misled the public, causing unnecessary panic. In 2024, an X user claimed that a power plant in Aba was set ablaze by terrorists. However, DUBAWA’s fact-check revealed that no such attack occurred, and the image used was outdated and taken out of context.
Recently, a Facebook user’s post @Support Daily Trust Newspaper on March 3, 2025, claimed Russia had announced its plan to open the world’s largest grain farm worth over $30 billion in Aba, Abia State.
According to the post, the project is expected to boost Nigeria’s agricultural sector, create thousands of jobs, and strengthen trade relations.
“Breaking News: Russia to Open World’s Largest Grain Farm Worth Over $30 Billion in Aba, Abia State. The Russian government has announced plans to establish the world’s largest grain farm in Aba, Abia State. According to Russian officials, Aba has demonstrated significant economic potential, making it an attractive location for this massive agricultural investment. The project is expected to boost Nigeria’s agricultural sector, create thousands of jobs, and strengthen trade relations between both nations.”
An image depicting a futuristic agricultural facility was attached to the post. The post showed a dome-shaped, glass-roofed grain processing plant surrounded by a vast wheat field with multiple blue tractors actively harvesting crops. The Nigerian and Russian flags were displayed atop the facility, suggesting an international collaboration, while a modern skyline with skyscrapers and industrial structures appeared in the background.
As of March 18, 2025, the post had only one share and a single comment from user @Lawan Sani, who expressed excitement, stating:
“Up, up, up, Abia, on the move! We need this kind of fortune in the Northern region, but our leaders think differently. I wish Abia State the best of luck.”
The same claim was shared multiple times here, here, here, and here.
Due to its virality, DUBAWA investigated the claim.
Verification
We first observed that the image had hallmarks of AI generation or digital rendering rather than an actual photograph. Its overly polished design, uniform lighting, synthetic textures, futuristic, overly perfect composition, and unnatural placement of flags gave it away.
To verify these observations, we subjected the image to an AI detection tool, Hive.ai, which confirmed that it was fabricated.
DUBAWA conducted a keyword search for any credible report, official statement, or news article on Russia’s alleged investment in Aba but found none.
Further research into Russia’s recent agricultural investments shows that while the country is a major player in global grain production, its investments are primarily focused on domestic production and exports rather than large-scale foreign projects of this nature.
In July 2023, during the Russia-Africa Summit in St. Petersburg, President Vladimir Putin promised to provide free grain shipments to six African countries: Burkina Faso, Zimbabwe, Mali, Somalia, the Central African Republic, and Eritrea.
By February 2024, Russia had fulfilled this promise, delivering 200,000 tonnes of grain, 50,000 tonnes each to Somalia and the Central African Republic, and 25,000 tonnes each to the remaining four countries.
From then until now, Russia has not promised any commitment to provide free grain to Nigeria or establish a large grain farm in Aba, as claimed.
Conclusion
DUBAWA’s investigation reveals no record of Russia announcing a plan to build the world’s largest grain farm in Aba, Abia State. Therefore, the post is false.
