The Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Sen. Abubakar Kyari, says the agriculture sector contributes between 23 and 24 percent to Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
Kyari made the statement at the 2026 Vanguard Economic Discourse on Wednesday in Lagos. He was represented by his Technical Advisor on Partnership and Collaboration, Mr. Maruf Ajenifuye.
The event, themed “Food Security and Socio-Economic Stability: Options for Nigeria’s Agriculture Sector,” highlighted the sector’s rebound, progress, and milestone achievements.
According to Kyari, agriculture employs over 60–70 percent of Nigeria’s labor force, making it a powerful engine for growth and poverty reduction.
“This event comes at a time when the Nigerian food security situation is undergoing transformation. Food security is the foundation of our nation’s socio-economic stability. It is not just what we eat, but how we eat, how we live, and ultimately, how stable our nation is,” he said.
Kyari noted that the sector faces structural challenges, including climate change, financing gaps, infrastructure deficits, and rising food costs, which affect the availability, accessibility, affordability, and stability of food.
He highlighted that President Bola Tinubu declared a state of emergency on food security, which the ministry has been addressing strategically.
“Fast forward to 2026, we see a clear impact: essential food prices have dropped by up to 53 percent, and food inflation fell below 10 percent for the first time in a decade, standing at 8.98 percent year-on-year. Over 622,000 farmers have been supported, boosting yields by up to 10 percent in the top 30 states,” Kyari said.
He added that the federal government has distributed over two million bags of fertilizers to more than one million farms, increasing soil fertility and crop yields.
“Fertilizers remain the largest driver of production costs. Without government intervention, yields would drop from three to four metric tonnes to as low as 1.3 metric tonnes,” he emphasized.
Kyari described the sector’s rebound as fragile but steady, signaling progress toward long-term food security and economic stability.
