Stakeholders in Nigeria’s agriculture sector have identified mechanisation, irrigation, climate-smart farming and efficient post-harvest systems as decisive factors for achieving food security in 2026, warning that increased production alone will not guarantee stable food supply or higher farmer incomes.
They noted that 2026 presents a critical opportunity to move Nigeria’s agriculture from seasonal, fragmented practices to a more modern, resilient and market-driven system anchored on value addition and strong supply chains.
Senior Associate Consultant at FutuX Agri-consult Limited, Oyewole Okewole, said attention must shift beyond production to post-harvest handling, storage, processing and logistics to reduce losses and improve incomes.
He added that deliberate support for agribusinesses, particularly export-oriented enterprises, alongside improved access to affordable finance and climate-smart production systems, would determine whether the sector progresses or stagnates in 2026.
On production systems, President of the National Cotton Association of Nigeria, Anibe Achimugu, projected increased dry-season cultivation driven by irrigation and wider access to mechanisation through service-based models.
He said Nigeria must transition to year-round farming to reduce dependence on rainfall, advocating zonal mechanisation centres to make equipment accessible to farmers without ownership burdens. Achimugu also stressed that efficient post-harvest and market systems are necessary to curb losses and stabilise prices.
Editor-in-Chief of Farmers Choice Magazine, Prince Oyewumi Oyedele Oyetunde, highlighted opportunities in policy-driven scaling, investment and technology adoption, noting that expanded staple crop programmes could reduce import dependence. He said stronger public-private partnerships, agro-industrial investments and improved access to finance would unlock productivity, while digital extension services, precision farming tools and climate-smart technologies would boost yields and resilience.
Managing Director of BIC Farms Concept, Adebowale Onafowora, described irrigation as non-negotiable for 2026, calling for scaled dry-season farming, decentralised irrigation systems and controlled-environment agriculture.
He warned against reliance on raw commodity exports, stressing that local processing and value addition are critical to tackling food insecurity and poverty.
From the livestock sector, President of the Poultry Association of Nigeria, Sunday Ezeobiora, called for a government-backed dry-season farming initiative for maize and soya to stabilise feed supply and poultry prices.
He also identified cold-chain logistics and processing infrastructure as key to reducing post-harvest losses and ensuring steady protein supply.
Overall, the stakeholders agreed that coordinated investment in mechanisation, irrigation, value chains and technology will determine whether Nigeria achieves food security and price stability in 2026.
