Nigeria has recorded significant progress in strengthening food security and boosting agricultural productivity over the past three years under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's administration, according to the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari.
Key Reforms Yielding Results
Speaking at a stakeholders' engagement forum on Agricultural and Food Systems Transformation, Kyari said key reforms and interventions implemented since the start of the administration—particularly over the last two years—are beginning to yield measurable results across the sector. He disclosed that prices of essential food items have declined by as much as 50 percent in some parts of the country, reversing previous spikes in food inflation.
"Food security has been a top priority of this administration, and we are beginning to see the results reflect in market prices," the minister said.
Value Chain Strengthening
Kyari explained that government efforts have focused on strengthening key value chains, including rice, maize, wheat, millet, sorghum, yam, cassava, soybeans, cocoa, cotton, and oil palm, among others. He added that these interventions have expanded opportunities for millions of small holder farmers nationwide. According to him, major support programmes in 2024 and 2025 included the distribution of improved seeds, agrochemicals, safety kits, and pest control materials, alongside training initiatives designed to shift farmers from subsistence agriculture to agribusiness.
Increased Crop Outputs
He noted that a 2025 Agricultural Performance Survey by the National Agricultural Extension and Research Liaison Services (NAERLS) confirmed higher outputs in major crops such as rice, maize, sorghum, millet, cowpea, yam, and cassava compared to the previous year. The ministry also reported the distribution of over 1.9 million bags of fertilizer to nearly one million farmers, as well as the introduction of organic fertilizer support, regulatory training for inspectors, and capacity-building for industry stakeholders to curb fake agro-inputs.
Quality Control and Infrastructure
To strengthen quality control, Kyari said a National Reference Laboratory was established and the fertilizer management platform upgraded, while thousands of farmers were trained on sustainable soil practices. In rural infrastructure, the ministry said it constructed about 170 kilometres of asphalt roads and 57 kilometres of earth roads, alongside hundreds of boreholes, solar streetlights, and market and housing facilities to improve rural livelihoods.
Mechanisation and Processing
As part of mechanisation efforts, the government launched the Renewed Hope Agricultural Mechanization Programme in 2025, deploying 2,000 tractors and other equipment to boost productivity. It also established processing plants across all geopolitical zones, set up composite flour mills, and launched agribusiness incubation centres at Federal University Lokoja and Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike.
Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones
Kyari further highlighted progress under the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones (SAPZ), including thousands of farmer profiles, expanded climate-smart cultivation, and improved rice yields averaging five metric tons per hectare. Under the National Agricultural Growth Scheme – Agro-Pocket, over 647,000 farmers were registered, with more than 622,000 receiving subsidised inputs, contributing to increased crop output in participating states. He also noted gains under soil health and insurance schemes, improved access to credit through the Bank of Agriculture, and expanded support for flood-affected farmers through national funding mechanisms.
Women and Youth Inclusion
The minister stressed that women and youths remain central to agricultural programmes through targeted training, credit access, and climate-smart farming initiatives, while also backing the "Every Home a Garden" campaign to promote household food production. While acknowledging existing challenges, Kyari expressed confidence that sustained reforms, investment, and collaboration across sectors would further strengthen Nigeria's food systems and ensure long-term food security.
