Minister seeks agricultural revolution to halt Nigeria’s import dependency

Nigeria’s Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari, has called for a bold agricultural revolution to end the country’s heavy import dependency and reposition the sector as a global export leader.

Speaking at the FirstBank 2025 Agric and Export Expo in Lagos, the Minister—represented by Mr. Ibrahim Alkali—outlined seven strategic fundamentals needed to drive the transformation: productivity enhancement, quality and standards infrastructure, financing and risk management systems, value addition and processing, logistics and infrastructure development, market access and trade facilitation, and policy consistency in governance.

Kyari underscored the paradox of Nigeria’s agricultural sector: while it contributes 25% to GDP and employs 35% of the workforce, the country still spends over $10 billion annually importing staples such as wheat, rice, sugar, fish, and tomato paste, yet accounts for less than 0.5% of global agricultural exports.

Highlighting Nigeria’s vast potential—85 million hectares of arable land and a predominantly youthful population—the Minister urged urgent reforms to unlock productivity. He reaffirmed the Tinubu administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which has increased agriculture’s budgetary allocation, prioritized donor and private sector collaboration, and advanced corporate partnerships for export readiness.

In his remarks, Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu emphasized that Nigeria must urgently broaden its economic base beyond oil, focusing on value addition and competitiveness in the non-oil sector.

Also speaking, Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) CEO Mrs. Nonye Ayeni stressed the need to strengthen linkages between farmers, SMEs, and exporters, alongside expanding credit and risk-sharing mechanisms for agribusiness investors.

FirstBank was commended for its leadership in agricultural financing, with over ₦11.65 billion in portfolio growth and more than 23% participation in the Commercial Agricultural Credit Scheme, funding activities across the value chain from production to export.
Source – Tribune Online

Expert Review for Agri-Food Stakeholders
Nigeria’s agricultural transformation agenda is at a decisive turning point. The call for an agricultural revolution is not merely aspirational—it is a necessity if the nation is to build resilience, stabilize its economy, and compete globally.

1. Productivity and Import Substitution
   Nigeria’s $10 billion food import bill is unsustainable. Stakeholders must prioritize large-scale mechanization, improved seed systems, and climate-smart practices to boost yields in wheat, rice, fish, and other import-heavy commodities. This will reduce dependency while freeing foreign reserves.

2. Standards and Market Competitiveness
   Without investment in laboratories, certification systems, and traceability, Nigerian exports will continue to face rejection in global markets. Meeting international standards must become a cornerstone of agribusiness investment.

3. Financing and Risk Management
   Access to affordable credit and crop insurance remains a bottleneck for smallholder farmers and SMEs. The recognition of FirstBank’s portfolio highlights opportunities for other financial institutions to expand targeted financing products that de-risk investment in agriculture.

4. Value Addition and Agro-Industrialization
   Exporting raw commodities yields minimal value. Nigeria’s shift must prioritize agro-processing industries that convert cassava into starch and ethanol, cocoa into chocolate, or tomatoes into paste—securing higher margins and export competitiveness.

5. Logistics and Trade Facilitation
   From farm-to-port inefficiencies to poor cold chain systems, Nigeria’s infrastructure gap erodes competitiveness. Targeted investments in storage, transport corridors, and digital trade platforms are urgent to cut post-harvest losses and streamline exports.

6. Policy Consistency and Governance
   The seven fundamentals outlined by Kyari require stable policy environments. Frequent policy reversals or inconsistent implementation discourage investors and limit long-term planning. A coordinated governance framework across federal and state levels will be critical.

7. Youth and SME Integration
   With over 70% of Nigerians under 30, integrating youth into modern agribusiness is vital. Entrepreneurship, agritech adoption, and access to export markets can transform this demographic advantage into a driver of growth and innovation.

Conclusion
The agricultural revolution Nigeria seeks must move from rhetoric to actionable investments that address standards, infrastructure, financing, and value addition. For agribusiness stakeholders, the opportunity lies in positioning for export-driven growth—whether through certification services, logistics innovations, or agro-processing investments. The transition from oil dependence to an agricultural powerhouse is possible, but it requires urgent, coordinated execution.