7 Reasons Nigeria Is Not Feeding Itself

Each and every October 16, the worldwide International Meals Day, is marked, with nations requested how neatly they feed their folks. This yr’s theme is “Innovate These days. Nourish The next day to come.” For Nigeria, the fair resolution is: no longer neatly sufficient. Many farmers are asking a more difficult query, which is whether or not they are able to come up with the money for to plant in any respect. A bag of fertiliser prices greater than two times what a bag of maize sells for, imports are crowding out native produce, and assaults stay farmers clear of their land.

Listed here are seven causes Nigeria continues to be no longer feeding itself.

1. Imports stay emerging. Nigeria imported about 10.1 million tonnes of grain within the 2025/2026 advertising yr, together with 6.7 million tonnes of wheat and three.2 million tonnes of rice, in keeping with the USDA knowledge. The CBN has stated meals imports price $2.34 billion in 2025.

2. The obligation-free window harm native farmers. The 2024 waiver on tasks for wheat, beans, rice, maize and different grains price the federal government greater than N188 billion in earnings. Farmers say affordable imports undercut their costs.

3. Rice generators are final. About 90 of the rustic’s greater than 150 rice generators have close down, in keeping with the Rice Processors Affiliation. The remaining run at 30 to 70 in line with cent of capability.

4. Lack of confidence assists in keeping farmers off their land. Assaults and kidnappings throughout Niger, Kaduna, Plateau, Zamfara, Katsina, Borno, Taraba, Benue and Kogi have displaced farmers or blocked get admission to to their farms.

5. Inputs price greater than the harvest earns. Fertiliser and agrochemical prices have risen by way of 56 in line with cent. In Taraba, a bag of NPK fertiliser prices N45,000 to N50,000, whilst a bag of maize sells for N22,000 to N23,000. Some farmers are switching to soybeans and sesame, which might shrink meals crop provide.

6. Starvation is at a ten-year prime. About 34.7 million Nigerians are projected to stand acute meals lack of confidence all through the June to August 2026 lean season, up from 27.2 million in past due 2025.

7. Assist is shrinking. The International Meals Programme may just succeed in simplest 72,000 folks in Nigeria in February, down from 1.3 million within the 2025 lean season.

Regardless that the minister of Agriculture and Meals Safety, Abubakar Kyari stated meals costs have fallen by way of as much as 50 in line with cent, mentioning fertiliser distribution, a Assured Worth Fashion and agro-industrial processing zones, farmers and economists are announcing less expensive inputs, irrigation, garage, credit score and safety are nonetheless wanted.

Nigeria can develop maximum of what it eats. Getting there takes less expensive inputs, more secure farms and an import coverage that protects native manufacturers.