Nigeria’s agriculture sector recorded 4.39 per cent growth in the second quarter of 2026, with crop production expanding by 3.66 per cent, the Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Sen. Dr. Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, has said.
Abdullahi attributed the growth to government reforms and investments aimed at improving food production, reducing post-harvest losses and strengthening agricultural value chains.
In a statement marking the 2026 World Food Day on Friday, themed “Innovate Today. Nourish Tomorrow,” the minister said the Federal Government remained committed to ensuring food security for all Nigerians.
He said the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu was implementing a comprehensive strategy to transform agriculture into a productive, resilient, competitive and investment-driven sector capable of feeding the country and contributing significantly to economic growth.
According to him, the strategy focuses on increasing food production, reducing losses and enabling farmers to operate profitably through interventions covering research, farm inputs, storage, processing, financing, marketing and consumption.
The minister said the National Agricultural Growth Scheme and Agro-Pocket (NAGS-AP) had supported smallholder farmers to produce 2.5 million metric tonnes of staple foods within four farming seasons.
He also disclosed that Nigeria’s annual domestic wheat production had increased to approximately 420,000 metric tonnes from a previous baseline of 120,000 metric tonnes, representing a 3.5-fold increase.
Abdullahi said the government had also commenced the Renewed Hope Agricultural Mechanisation Programme, with the commissioning of 2,000 tractors and implements to improve efficiency, reduce labour demands and make farming more attractive to young people.
Other initiatives, he said, included soil mapping under the National Soil Health and Fertility Programme, the promotion of biofortified crops and the revitalisation of agricultural extension services through newly trained frontline agents and digital e-extension platforms.
He explained that the digital platforms were linked to the National Farmers Registry, which had been harmonised with the National Identification Number (NIN), to improve farmer identification and service delivery.
On efforts to address rising food prices, the minister said the government was tackling the problem at its source through expanded dry-season farming, investments in Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones (SAPZs), and the development of storage and cold-chain facilities.
These interventions, he said, were designed to reduce post-harvest losses from 40 per cent to below 20 per cent.
He added that the government was combining these measures with the orderly release of food from the Strategic Food Reserve and the implementation of a Guaranteed Minimum Price mechanism.
The minister further stated that the government was promoting climate-smart agriculture, expanding irrigation, repositioning the Bank of Agriculture to provide affordable financing, and strengthening agricultural insurance and pest surveillance.
On cooperative development, Abdullahi said the implementation of the National Cooperative Identity Reform under the Renewed Hope Cooperative Reform and Revamp Programme 2030 would help transform the country’s cooperative sector into a credible, transparent and bankable economic bloc.
He said the programme, unanimously approved by the 8th National Council on Cooperative Affairs in March 2026, provided a seven-pillar framework covering legal and regulatory reforms, digitalisation and data management, cooperative finance, capacity building, enterprise growth, socioeconomic inclusion and strategic partnerships.
The minister acknowledged that insecurity in some major food-producing areas of Northern Nigeria remained a challenge but said the government was responding through the deployment of additional security personnel, including the military, Civil Defence and Agro-Rangers, to protect farmlands.
He added that collaboration between security agencies and farming communities was also being strengthened to improve safety in agricultural areas.
Abdullahi called for collective action to achieve food security and appreciated the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and other development partners for their continued support.
He reaffirmed the government’s determination to build an agricultural sector capable of feeding the nation, creating economic opportunities and driving sustainable economic growth.
