Public and private sector leaders in Nigeria’s agriculture and food sector have raised serious concerns over a widening food security gap, calling on governments at all levels to take immediate action to prevent a looming national crisis.
The concerns were highlighted at the 2026 Economic Discourse held in Lagos, themed “Food Security and Socio-economic Stability: Options for Nigeria’s Agriculture Sector Rebound,” where stakeholders from both international and local institutions examined the country’s fragile food system.
The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) projected that the number of Nigerians facing hunger could rise to 35.7 million by August 2026. The agency warned that without urgent reforms in agricultural financing and technology adoption, over 40 million farming households could face severe consequences.
FAO Representative to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Dr. Hussein Gadain, described food security as a critical pillar of national stability, linking it to economic performance, peace, and social cohesion. He noted that ongoing challenges such as conflict, climate shocks, and economic pressures continue to weaken food systems, particularly in the North East, North West, and North Central regions.
According to FAO estimates, between 27.2 million and 35.7 million Nigerians are already experiencing acute food insecurity, driven by insecurity, farmer-herder conflicts, and competition over land and water resources.
The agency also highlighted a major imbalance in Nigeria’s agricultural trade. Between 2016 and 2019, the country recorded agricultural imports worth about N3.35 trillion—nearly four times higher than exports valued at N803 billion—signaling missed opportunities for local production and value addition.
To reverse the trend, FAO proposed a comprehensive reform agenda focused on improving access to finance, promoting climate-smart agriculture, upgrading infrastructure, and strengthening value chains. It stressed the need to support over 40 million agricultural households, most of whom are smallholder farmers, through inclusive policies and better rural services.
Meanwhile, the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) emphasized the importance of youth involvement and private sector participation in addressing the crisis. IFAD Country Director, Dede Ahoefa Ekoue, said Nigeria must leverage its large youth population to drive innovation and transformation in agriculture.
She revealed that IFAD has invested approximately $1.8 billion in Nigeria, supporting more than four million households and helping smallholder farmers transition into structured value chains. She added that agriculture should be viewed beyond farming, encompassing processing, storage, logistics, and marketing, thereby creating broader opportunities for employment and enterprise.
Ekoue stressed that without strong private sector engagement and policies that attract investment, achieving food security would remain difficult. She also pointed to successful initiatives such as value chain development programmes and youth agribusiness training in the Niger Delta, which have empowered thousands of young people.
On the government’s part, the Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Mukhtar Maiha, announced plans to grow Nigeria’s livestock sector from $32 billion to $74 billion within the next decade through a comprehensive reform strategy. He noted that agriculture contributes up to 26 percent of the country’s GDP and employs nearly 40 percent of the workforce, yet food insecurity remains widespread.
Maiha identified key challenges including low productivity, weak infrastructure, insecurity, and limited access to financing. He also revealed that post-harvest losses for perishable goods remain as high as 30 to 40 percent, while average daily protein intake in Nigeria falls far below global recommendations.
To address these issues, the government has introduced the Nigerian Livestock Growth Acceleration Strategy, focusing on feed development, improved animal health systems, and digital innovations such as precision farming and disease surveillance.
Similarly, the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Abubakar Kyari, called on youths and women to take advantage of the projected $1 trillion agribusiness opportunity in Africa by 2030. He described Nigeria’s youthful population as a key asset in driving agricultural transformation.
Kyari disclosed ongoing efforts to strengthen the sector, including a $538 million Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zone initiative aimed at boosting processing capacity and linking farmers to markets. He also highlighted investments in rural infrastructure and the distribution of over two million fertiliser packs to support farmers.
Despite these efforts, he acknowledged that agricultural financing remains significantly underfunded, accounting for less than four percent of the sector’s contribution to GDP.
Stakeholders at the discourse agreed that Nigeria stands at a critical turning point. While the challenges are significant, they noted that with coordinated action, increased investment, and inclusive policies, agriculture can become a major driver of economic growth, job creation, and national stability.
Nigeria Faces Deepening Food Security Crisis as Experts Warn of Rising Hunger, Urge Urgent Reforms
