The Federal Government says Nigeria’s agricultural sector is back on a strong growth trajectory for the first time since 2021, recording an overall growth rate of 4.39 per cent in the second quarter of 2026.
Sen. Aliyu Abdullahi, Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, said this at the commemoration of World Food Day 2026.
The theme for this year’s celebration is “Innovate Today. Nourish Tomorrow.”
Abdullahi noted that, according to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), crop production grew by 3.66 per cent, adding that government reforms and investments were yielding results.
He said the theme captured the reality that tomorrow’s food security would be determined by today’s innovations.
The minister noted that the Federal Government was transforming agriculture into a productive, resilient, competitive and investment-driven sector capable of feeding the population and driving economic growth under President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
“Our approach is anchored on producing more food, reducing food losses, strengthening agricultural value chains and enabling farmers to produce profitably.
“Our reforms are yielding results, with crop production expanding by 3.66 per cent in the second quarter of 2026, according to the NBS,” he said.
Abdullahi said the government had supported smallholder farmers to produce 2.5 million metric tonnes of staple foods over four farming seasons through the National Agricultural Growth Scheme and Agro-Pocket (NAGS-AP).
According to him, Nigeria’s annual domestic wheat production had risen to approximately 420,000 metric tonnes, representing a 3.5-fold increase from the previous baseline of 120,000 metric tonnes.
“The government has moved from rhetoric to action with the commissioning of the Renewed Hope Agricultural Mechanisation Programme, featuring 2,000 tractors and implements to make farming more efficient, less labour-intensive and attractive to young people.
“Other interventions include the commencement of soil mapping under the National Soil Health and Fertility Programme and the promotion of biofortified crops.
“We have trained frontline extension agents and introduced digital e-extension platforms linked to the National Farmers Registry, which is harmonised with the National Identification Number (NIN).
“The government is decisively tackling high food prices at source through aggressive dry-season farming, investments in Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones (SAPZs), storage and cold-chain facilities.
“This initiative is aimed at reducing post-harvest losses from 40 per cent to below 20 per cent, alongside the orderly release of food from the Strategic Food Reserve and the implementation of a Guaranteed Minimum Price,” he said.
He identified other government measures as the promotion of climate-smart agriculture, expansion of irrigation, repositioning of the Bank of Agriculture (BOA) to provide affordable financing, and strengthening of agricultural insurance and pest surveillance.
According to him, the implementation of the National Cooperative Identity Reform under the Renewed Hope Cooperative Reform and Revamp Programme (RH-CRRP 2030) would transform the cooperative ecosystem into a credible, transparent and bankable economic bloc.
Abdullahi noted that the government had intensified security efforts by deploying more personnel from the Army, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps and agro-rangers to protect farmlands. He added that collaboration between security agencies and farming communities in northern Nigeria, the country’s major food-producing region, had also been strengthened.
“Food security is a collective responsibility. We remain resolute in building a sector capable of feeding the nation and driving economic growth,” he said.
Also speaking, Dr Marcus Ogunbiyi, Permanent Secretary in the ministry, described the walk as a reaffirmation of the collective commitment to food, humanity’s most fundamental need.
He said World Food Day, observed annually on October 16 to commemorate the establishment of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in 1945, was a call to action to look beyond the food on our tables.
According to him, the day provides an opportunity to consider the farmers who produce food, the systems that preserve and distribute it, and the millions of people who still struggle to afford a healthy meal.
He said the theme, “Innovate Today. Nourish Tomorrow,” was particularly relevant because it reminded Nigerians that the future of food security depended on decisions and investments made today.
“Innovation must go beyond machinery and digital technology to include improved seeds, better farming practices, efficient irrigation, sustainable soil management, effective storage and processing, improved transportation and reduced post-harvest losses, especially for smallholder farmers, women and young people,” he said.
Ogunbiyi said that, given Nigeria’s rapidly growing population, the country needed to strengthen its capacity to produce sufficient, safe and nutritious food throughout the year, ensure affordability, improve productivity, strengthen value chains, encourage private-sector investment and build resilience to climate, economic and security shocks.
He emphasised that food security was not the responsibility of the government alone but of everyone.
He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to agriculture as a major driver of economic growth, job creation and national food security, urging Nigerians to embrace innovation to secure the nation’s food future.
He commended the FAO, the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), the World Bank and other development partners for their support, as well as women and young farmers whose dedication and creativity sustain the nation.
