Minister seeks agricultural revolution to halt Nigeria’s import dependency

The Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari, has called for an agricultural revolution to end Nigeria’s crippling import dependency, outlining strategic fundamentals required to transform the sector into an export powerhouse.

Kyari, who made the call at the FirstBank 2025 Agric and Export Expo held in Lagos on Monday, described building a non-oil export-driven economy as a survival strategy for Nigeria, saying: “When oil prices shake, Nigeria trembles. When the Naira slides, food and fuel costs climb. But when agriculture thrives, Nigeria breathes easier.”

The minister, who was represented at the event by Mr Ibrahim Alkali, outlined seven critical fundamentals that must guide Nigeria’s path towards agricultural transformation; the list include: production and productivity enhancement, standards and quality infrastructure development, financing and risk management systems, value addition and processing capabilities, infrastructure and logistics improvement, market access and trade facilitation, and governance with policy consistency.

Kyari revealed that despite the fact that agriculture contributes 25 per cent to GDP and employs 35 per cent of the workforce, Nigeria paradoxically spends over $10 billion annually importing basic commodities like wheat, rice, sugar, fish, and tomato paste while accounting for less than 0.5 per cent of global agricultural exports.

“We sit on 85 million hectares of arable land, with a youth population of over 70 per cent, the age of 30. Yet Nigeria accounts for less than 0.5 per cent of global agricultural exports,” the minister stated, calling for urgent action to unlock the country’s vast potential.

The minister emphasised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s commitment through the Renewed Hope Agenda, stating: “Nigeria must no longer lean on the mercy of oil markets, but on the strength of our productivity, our creativity, and our resilience.”

He revealed that the current administration has increased budgetary allocation to agriculture more than any previous administration and has remained steadfast in collaborating with donor agencies, multilateral organisations, and foreign governments while prioritising corporate partnerships and public-private collaboration.

The minister concluded with a rallying call: “Let us be the generation that turned Nigeria from oil dependence to agricultural power,” as the expo showcased export-ready agricultural products with commitments from states like Niger to partner in enhancing productivity and value addition.

Lagos State governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, reinforced the urgency, declaring that Nigeria must urgently broaden its economic base and move towards a resilient economy anchored on productivity, value addition, and competitiveness in the non-oil sector.

The Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, represented by Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) CEO, Mrs Nonye Ayeni, emphasised strengthening linkages between farmers, SMEs, and exporters while expanding access to affordable credit and risk-sharing facilities for agribusiness investors.

FirstBank received commendation for its agricultural finance leadership, with its portfolio growing by over N11.65 billion and accounting for more than 23 per cent of Commercial Agricultural Credit Scheme participation, supporting entire value chains from primary production to processing, storage, and export.

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