Nigeria’s struggle with rising food costs formed the backdrop of a detailed policy defence by the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Sen. Abubakar Kyari, who revealed that federal interventions in the agricultural sector are beginning to reflect in the marketplace.
Speaking during a quarterly citizens’ engagement session in Abuja, the minister told stakeholders that the government has recorded a significant drop in the prices of key food commodities, describing the development as an early outcome of reforms introduced by the Tinubu administration.
Kyari said the prices of essential food items have fallen by as much as 50 per cent across the country, attributing the trend to a series of interventions designed to boost local production and reduce the structural costs of farming.
“Our efforts are starting to pay off, with a notable impact on food prices,” he said.
“Prices of essential food commodities have dropped by 50 per cent nationwide.”
The minister said the government views food security not only as an economic objective, but as a matter tied closely to national stability.
“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has made food security a top priority, acknowledging the critical role it plays in maintaining national security, stability and sovereignty,” he said.
“Our goal is to ensure that affordable and nutritious food is available and accessible to every Nigerian.”
Persecondnews reports that the session served as a strategic platform for officials to detail the policy frameworks driving agricultural reform.
Crucially, it allowed the government to gather direct feedback from farmers, private sector leaders, and development partners.
Ministry’s Permanent Secretary Marcus Ogunbiyi noted that the dialogue aimed to bridge the gap between policy and practice by fostering closer cooperation across the entire agricultural value chain.
“We aim to strengthen open and transparent communication channels where your concerns are heard, your questions addressed and your recommendations carefully considered,” Ogunbiyi said.
According to him, collaboration is essential for shaping policies that reflect field realities and technical expertise from practitioners working directly within the agricultural ecosystem.
Kyari explained that the government’s approach combines several policy tools, including targeted subsidies for farm inputs, mechanisation programmes, value-chain development and investments in rural infrastructure.
Over the last two years, he said the federal government has distributed more than 1.9 million bags of fertiliser to nearly one million farmers across the country.
At the same time, regulatory measures have been introduced to combat the circulation of adulterated fertiliser products in the market.
To strengthen quality assurance and transparency within the supply chain, the ministry established a National Reference Laboratory and upgraded the National Fertiliser Management Platform.
The minister also pointed to international partnerships with countries such as Russia, Türkiye, India and Canada, which he said have supported Nigeria’s efforts to improve fertiliser production and gain access to modern agricultural technologies.
Within the domestic farming system, the government has identified several strategic crops for increased investment. These include rice, maize, wheat, sorghum, millet, cassava, cocoa and oil palm.
Kyari said the strategy aims to strengthen productivity across the entire value chain—from cultivation to processing and distribution—while helping smallholder farmers transition from subsistence farming into commercially viable agribusinesses.
“These interventions have empowered farmers to boost productivity, reduce losses and improve produce quality, ultimately enhancing their livelihoods and contributing to a stronger agricultural sector,” he said.
Another pillar of the policy framework is the Renewed Hope Agricultural Mechanisation Programme, which includes the deployment of 2,000 tractors and other modern equipment across the country.
The initiative is expected to establish mechanisation centres that will support farmers with land preparation, harvesting and post-harvest processing.
Agricultural research is also being expanded through the Agricultural Research Council of Nigeria, which recently distributed 40 million cocoa seedlings to farmers as part of a long-term strategy to revitalise the country’s cocoa industry.
Support for farmers is also being channelled through the National Agricultural Growth Scheme Agro-Pocket programme. According to the minister, more than 647,000 farmers have registered under the scheme, with over 622,000 receiving subsidised agricultural inputs.
In addition, the federal government has approved a ₦250 billion facility for the Bank of Agriculture to expand access to affordable credit for smallholder farmers.
The government is also strengthening risk management within the sector through the Nigerian Agricultural Insurance Corporation, which provides insurance coverage to farmers facing weather-related losses and other production risks.
Kyari said the administration is working to rebuild national food reserves to provide a buffer against emergencies such as conflicts, economic shocks and natural disasters.
Alongside these programmes, rural development projects—ranging from the construction of feeder roads to the installation of boreholes and solar-powered streetlights—are intended to improve connectivity between farming communities and urban markets.
Despite the government’s optimism about recent gains, Nigeria continues to face deep structural challenges within its food system.
The country has grappled with a severe cost-of-living crisis since the early months of the Tinubu administration, following the removal of petrol subsidies and the decision to allow the naira to float.
Those reforms triggered sharp increases in transportation and production costs, pushing food prices sharply upward and eroding household purchasing power.
In many parts of the country, the cost of staple foods more than doubled compared with levels before the current administration assumed office.
Food inflation rose steeply before moderating slightly after the National Bureau of Statistics rebased the Consumer Price Index last year.
Public frustration over rising living costs culminated in nationwide hunger protests, reflecting the strain many households have experienced in meeting basic needs as well as the severity of food insecurity among vulnerable communities.
Beyond economic pressures, analysts say structural issues such as climate change, inadequate storage facilities, poor transportation infrastructure and weak market regulation continue to disrupt food supply chains.
The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs has warned that about 35 million Nigerians could face acute hunger this year if urgent interventions are not sustained.
While acknowledging the persistence of these challenges, Kyari urged stakeholders in the agricultural sector to maintain cooperation with government agencies and development partners.
“While challenges persist, we are working tirelessly to overcome them,” he said.
He added that sustained collaboration among the public sector, private investors and international partners would be critical to building a resilient food system capable of supporting long-term economic growth.
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