The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security is spearheading a comprehensive effort to strengthen Nigeria’s food supply and reduce dependence on imports, aligning with President Bola Tinubu’s “Renewed Hope” agenda, Minister Senator Abubakar Kyari announced in Maiduguri.
Central to this effort is a new national wheat farming program designed to cut Nigeria’s annual wheat imports of six million tonnes.
The ministry has also increased rice production by 58,000 tonnes through fertilizer distribution, enabling subsidised rice deliveries to states ravaged by flooding.
Despite challenges posed by insecurity and widespread flooding, the ministry is pushing reforms across the agricultural sector.
Cross River State has become the first southern state to join the wheat production initiative, signaling expanding support nationwide.
“Eighty percent of our food is produced by local farmers,” Kyari emphasized, underlining the government’s urgent focus on balancing farmer welfare with affordable access to nutritious food for all Nigerians.
With Nigeria’s population expected to hit 400 million by 2050, the ministry is prioritizing youth empowerment through mechanised farming to ensure sustainable food security.
Efforts include refurbishing tractors and agricultural equipment and forging key partnerships — with Brazil to improve post-harvest storage and with Belarus to boost farming aggregation services.
Kyari cautioned against misuse of government machinery, stressing the need for responsible management to maximize agricultural productivity.
He also revealed plans to reactivate Nigeria’s largely dormant silo facilities, critical for reducing post-harvest losses and strengthening the country’s food reserves.
