Nigeria's Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari, has declared that a comprehensive internal review and a strategic realignment of key initiatives are set to fast-track growth within the nation's agricultural sector. He emphasized that a proactive management style, coupled with policy reforms and meticulous planning, will be the cornerstone for achieving sustainable development and enhancing food sovereignty.
Strategic Shift Towards Commercial Farming and Mechanization
Kyari made these assertions during a Ministerial Sectoral Retreat themed "Performance Improvement and Strategic Alignment," which took place on December 16, 2025, at the African Trade Centre, Onomo Allure in Abuja. He stated that the Federal Government is intensifying efforts to reposition agriculture as a primary engine for economic growth, job creation, and investment.
The new policy direction prioritizes several critical areas:
- Widespread agricultural mechanization
- Development of end-to-end value chains
- Improved financing for agribusiness
- Expansion of domestic and international markets
The Minister revealed that the government is actively pursuing mechanization partnerships with international equipment manufacturers from Belarus and Brazil, as well as global giants like John Deere and Origin. This initiative is designed to address Nigeria's long-standing deficit in tractor availability, which is expected to lower production costs, increase crop yields, and attract significant private investment into farming and agro-processing.
"Our focus is to transition from subsistence to commercial farming," Kyari explained. "Agriculture must deliver productivity, income, jobs, and wealth creation."
Boosting Value Addition and Market Stability
To maximize the sector's potential, the Ministry is expanding Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) through the creation of specialized hubs. These include Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones, Agro-Industrial Estates, and Agro-Processing Centers. These facilities are engineered to enhance value addition, minimize post-harvest losses, and deepen agro-industrial activities across the country.
On market stability, Kyari noted the implementation of a National Food Reserve Programme. This program aims to purchase excess produce during peak harvest seasons to ensure a steady supply and predictable pricing for both farmers and consumers, thereby reducing price volatility. Other market-oriented strategies involve developing Commodity Market Hubs and expanding Farmers' Markets to improve producers' access to profitable outlets.
Ministry Restructuring and Youth Inclusion
In his remarks, the Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, highlighted that the Ministry is undergoing a deliberate restructuring to better support private sector involvement and data-driven decision-making. New departments have been established to sharpen focus, including:
- Agricultural Mechanization
- Agricultural Data and Analytics
- Agricultural ICT
- Horticulture and Plant Health
Kyari also stressed the importance of programs targeting youth and women in agribusiness, identifying them as crucial to unlocking Nigeria's demographic dividend and stimulating rural economies. The Ministry is collaborating with international partners to secure funding and expertise for these agricultural initiatives.
During the retreat, Permanent Secretary Dr. Marcus Ogunbiyi announced a key milestone: the validation of a Performance Management System (PMS) and an Electronic Content Management (ECM) Platform, scheduled to go live on December 18, 2025. This digital transformation is deemed strategic for improving the Ministry's efficiency and service delivery.
