Nigeria's position as a global ginger powerhouse is under severe threat, with smallholder farmers trapped in a devastating cycle of collapsing yields and rampant pest infestations. Despite being the world's second-largest producer, the country's annual output has been declining for three consecutive years, even as international demand skyrockets. This alarming trend jeopardises the livelihoods of thousands who depend on the prized root crop.
An Epidemic of Loss: The 2023 Blight and Its Aftermath
The sector's profound vulnerability was brutally exposed in 2023 by a catastrophic ginger blight epidemic. The fungal disease, identified as Proxipyricularia zingiberis, ravaged farms, decimating up to 90 per cent of yields and resulting in estimated losses of N12 billion (approximately $7.57 million). The epicentre was southern Kaduna, which alone contributes about 85% of Nigeria's total ginger output. Gagarin Madaki, President of the National Ginger Association of Nigeria (NGAN), reported that the disease spread across eight local government areas, with some zones seeing production fall by a staggering 95%.
The fallout has been economic chaos. The price of a bag of ginger has skyrocketed, jumping from N50,000 in 2023 to N300,000 in 2025. In local markets, small plates of ginger now sell for as high as N2,000, up from N100 just a few years ago. This scarcity has crushed export earnings: data from the National Bureau of Statistics shows Nigeria's ginger export revenue collapsed by 74 per cent to N6.28 billion in the first nine months of 2024, down from N23.76 billion in the same period of 2023.
Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, confirmed the scale of the disaster, noting farmers have lost over N12 billion since 2023. In Kaduna alone, losses are estimated to exceed N20 billion.
Systemic Challenges Undermining the Value Chain
Experts argue the blight exposed deeper, systemic failures. James Fasakin, a senior research analyst, points to limited access to credit, outdated farming practices, and a reliance on unimproved seed varieties as core issues. Most farmers cannot afford modern inputs or technologies, leading to low yields and products that often fail stringent international quality standards.
The problem extends through the entire value chain. Silas Ashi David, a ginger value chain expert, explains that while Nigeria exports large volumes of raw ginger to Europe and India, it lacks domestic industrial processing capacity. "This lack of domestic industrial processing results in a loss of value and revenue for the country," David states. Most value-addition, like turning ginger into powder or oils, is done abroad.
Further complications include poor storage infrastructure, high labour costs, and worsening insecurity in key growing regions like Kaduna, where banditry and kidnappings disrupt farming activities. Climate change is also a major amplifier, creating erratic weather patterns that favour disease outbreaks.
Government Response and the Path to Recovery
In response, the Federal Government launched a multi-pronged intervention. In October 2023, it disbursed N1.6 billion in support to affected farmers and distributed pesticides and fungicides. More recently, the Ginger Recovery Advancement and Transformation for Economic Empowerment (GRATE) initiative was unveiled under the National Agricultural Development Fund. With another N1.6 billion in funding, GRATE aims to assist 15,000 impacted farmers in Kaduna, Plateau, Nasarawa, and the FCT by providing high-yield seed varieties and critical inputs.
However, many analysts believe these measures are insufficient. "What the country needs are disease-resistant seeds that can withstand attacks of the fungus, and not more pesticides," argues one expert. The National Root Crops Research Institute (NRCRI) has developed improved varieties, but adoption is low due to high costs and limited seed systems.
For long-term resilience, stakeholders propose a holistic strategy. Madaki of NGAN urges the creation of a National Ginger Seed Bank and investment in processing infrastructure. Stanley Adimabua, an agricultural specialist, advocates a shift to agroforestry systems to conserve indigenous ginger varieties. Experts unanimously call for greater access to finance, farmer training, and policies that encourage value addition within Nigeria.
The stakes are high. With global demand growing, Nigeria has a significant opportunity to reclaim and even expand its market share. But without decisive action to address the intertwined threats of disease, climate change, and value chain inefficiencies, the future of this vital agricultural sector—and the thousands who depend on it—remains perilously uncertain.
