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Nigeria agricultural growth vs. food security crisis

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2026-10-19 12:02 UTC → 2026-10-21 19:37 UTC · added ~~removed~~

Nigeria is implementing strategic initiatives to bolster its agricultural and livestock sectors. Through the National Agricultural Growth Scheme and Agro-Pocket (NAGS-AP), the government has supported smallholder farmers in producing 2.5 million metric tonnes of staple foods. Annual wheat production has seen a 3.5-fold increase, rising to approximately 420,000 metric tonnes. By the second quarter of 2026, the agricultural sector recorded a 4.39% growth rate, its strongest momentum since 2021. Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, noted that crop production specifically expanded by 3.66% during this period, attributing the recovery to reforms under President Bola Tinubu’s ‘Renewed Hope Agenda.’ To modernize the industry, the government commissioned the Renewed Hope Agricultural Mechanisation Programme, distributing 2,000 tractors and implements. Despite these production gains, a significant disconnect has emerged regarding food accessibility. While the NAGS-AP generated 2.54 million metric tonnes of produce valued at ₦2.31 trillion, food insecurity remains critical. In the 2026 Global Hunger Index, Nigeria ranked 117th out of 122 countries with a score of 34.3, signaling a deterioration in hunger and undernutrition levels since 2018. This crisis persists even as harvests of wheat, rice, maize, soybean, millet, and cassava increase. Nationally, Nigeria accounts for a significant portion of the estimated 52.9 million people facing crisis-level food insecurity across West and Central Africa during the 2026 lean season. Compounding this issue, food inflation reached 22.95 percent in March, marking its highest pace in 15 years. While some reports indicate a moderation in certain food prices, research from SBM Intelligence suggests this has not translated into relief for the population. The gap between declining ingredient costs and actual affordability remains wide due to weak purchasing power, stagnant incomes, and the rising costs of essentials like transportation and housing.

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