Collins Nnabuife, Author at Tribune Online

Fatuhu Buhari has officially assumed office as the Director General/CEO of the National Agricultural Seed Council (NASC), pledging to transform Nigeria’s agricultural seed sector into a driver of the nation’s food security and economic growth. The handover ceremony, held at the NASC Headquarters in Sheda, Abuja, marked the end of the tenure of the outgoing Acting Director General, who served from May 2023 to March 2025. The event was attended by officials of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, members of the NASC Governing Board, development partners, and other stakeholders. In his inaugural address, Buhari expressed deep appreciation to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the appointment, describing it as a “vital national assignment” tied to the administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda. He commended the outgoing leadership and staff of NASC for laying a strong foundation upon which he intends to build. “Agriculture stands at the heart of the Renewed Hope Agenda. Nigeria must feed itself and unlock the full potential of its agri-business sector,” Buhari declared. “Seeds are the first link in the agricultural value chain—the tiny but mighty catalysts of abundance. "Without quality seeds, there can be no thriving farms; without thriving farms, there can be no food security.” He outlined a vision to position NASC as a key catalyst in achieving food security through strategic reforms, which include strengthening seed quality regulation and certification systems, and deepening collaborations with seed companies, development partners, and investors. Others are partnering with research institutions and agri-tech innovators to develop climate-smart seed varieties and expanding seed multiplication programs to ensure affordability and accessibility for farmers. The new NASC DG also called on all stakeholders—farmers, researchers, seed companies, development agencies, and the media—to work collaboratively in driving this mission forward. Earlier, the outgoing Ag. Director General, Dr Ishiak Khalid detailed the achievements of the Council during his tenure. These include the implementation of the Revised National Agricultural Seed Policy, introduction of digital traceability tools like SEEDCODEX and Seed Tracker, and expansion of seed laboratories and processing infrastructure across Nigeria. Financial records showed that NASC operated with N2.64 billion for personnel, N258.4 million for overheads, and N12.05 billion for capital projects between 2023 and 2024. Internally generated revenue also increased significantly, reaching N104 million in Q1 2025 alone. Key reforms also saw NASC attain international recognition, including accreditation by the International Seed Testing Association (ISTA), admission into the OECD Seed Schemes, and membership of the International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants (UPOV). Despite the successes, the outgoing DG acknowledged persistent challenges such as insufficient overhead funding, ageing seed processing equipment, and the absence of a national seed reserve. He urged the incoming leadership to prioritize investments in modern infrastructure and climate-resilient systems. The ceremony concluded with the formal signing of the handover notes and the symbolic passing of responsibility to Buhari, in line with the National Agricultural Seeds Act No 21 of 2019. READ MORE FROM: NIGERIAN TRIBUNE