New data from Nigeria’s statistics authorities show that agriculture emerged as the largest contributor to the country’s GDP at current basic prices in 2025, underscoring the sector’s expanding economic footprint amid ongoing reforms and investment inflows.
According to the figures, the agricultural sector’s nominal output in 2025 stood at approximately ₦101.46 trillion, surpassing other major contributors such as trade and services to become the top individual contributor when measured at current basic prices.
Stakeholders say this milestone reflects strengthened activity across key agricultural sub-sectors. Crop production led the gains, bolstered by increased planting, mechanisation efforts, and improved market conditions, while livestock, forestry and fishing also made substantial contributions to total sector output.
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Economists note that the agriculture sector’s expanded share of GDP in 2025 comes amid broader economic growth in Nigeria, where real GDP grew 4.07 per cent in the fourth quarter and about 3.87 per cent for the full year, driven by overall non-oil performance, including agriculture, industry and services.
Policy analysts say the agriculture sector’s rise reflects several factors, including increased private sector investment, policy incentives for production and export growth, and efforts to enhance input supply for farmers. These interventions have also helped raise employment and rural incomes in farming communities.
Despite the notable progress, challenges such as security concerns in farming regions, infrastructural gaps and climate risks remain, potentially constraining the sector’s long-term growth prospects unless addressed through coordinated public and private action.
As Nigeria continues its economic transformation, the growing prominence of agriculture in the GDP composition highlights a broader shift towards diversifying revenue sources and strengthening non-oil sectors in Africa’s most populous country.
