Nigeria’s agricultural sector recorded 4.39 per cent growth in the second quarter of 2026, with the Federal Government attributing the performance to ongoing reforms and investments aimed at increasing food production, reducing post-harvest losses and strengthening agricultural value chains.
The Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Aliyu Abdullahi, disclosed this during the commemoration of the 2026 World Food Day, held on October 16 under the theme, “Innovate Today. Nourish Tomorrow.”
Abdullahi said the sector was returning to a stronger growth path, with crop production expanding by 3.66 per cent during the quarter, according to figures from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).
He said the government was working to reposition agriculture as a productive, competitive and investment-driven sector capable of meeting domestic food needs while contributing to economic growth under President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
“Our approach is anchored on producing more food, reducing food losses, strengthening agricultural value chains and enabling farmers to produce profitably.
“Our reforms are yielding results, with crop production expanding by 3.66 per cent in second quarter of 2026 according to NBS,” he said.
The minister disclosed that support provided to smallholder farmers through the National Agricultural Growth Scheme and Agro-Pocket (NAGS-AP) had facilitated the production of 2.5 million metric tonnes of staple foods across four farming seasons.
He also reported a significant increase in domestic wheat production, which he said had reached approximately 420,000 metric tonnes annually, about 3.5 times the previous baseline of 120,000 metric tonnes.
On mechanisation, Abdullahi said the government had commissioned the Renewed Hope Agricultural Mechanisation Programme, featuring 2,000 tractors and implements to improve farm efficiency, reduce dependence on manual labour and make agriculture more attractive to young people.
He added that the National Soil Health and Fertility Programme had commenced soil mapping, alongside efforts to promote biofortified crops and strengthen extension services through training and digital platforms connected to the National Farmers Registry, harmonised with the National Identification Number system.
The minister said the government was also targeting high food prices by expanding dry-season farming, investing in Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones (SAPZs) and developing storage and cold-chain infrastructure.
He explained that these measures were intended to reduce post-harvest losses from 40 per cent to below 20 per cent, while the orderly release of commodities from the Strategic Food Reserve and a Guaranteed Minimum Price mechanism would support market stability.
Other interventions, he said, included expanding irrigation, promoting climate-smart agriculture, improving access to affordable credit through the Bank of Agriculture, and strengthening agricultural insurance and pest surveillance.
Abdullahi also highlighted the National Cooperative Identity Reform under the Renewed Hope Cooperative Reform and Revamp Programme 2030, saying it was designed to build a more transparent and financially viable cooperative sector.
On farm security, he said the government had intensified efforts to protect agricultural communities through the deployment of military personnel, Civil Defence officers and agro-rangers, alongside stronger cooperation between security agencies and farmers, particularly in northern Nigeria’s major food-producing areas.
“Food security is a collective responsibility. We remain resolute in building a sector capable of feeding the nation and driving economic growth,” he said.
Also speaking, the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Marcus Ogunbiyi, said World Food Day provided an opportunity to reflect on the people and systems responsible for producing, preserving and distributing food, as well as the challenges faced by households unable to afford nutritious meals.
He noted that the annual observance on October 16 commemorated the establishment of the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) in 1945 and served as a reminder of the need for sustained action against hunger and malnutrition.
Ogunbiyi said this year’s theme underscored the importance of making timely investments in technologies and practices that could secure the country’s future food supply.
He stressed that agricultural innovation should extend beyond machinery and digital tools to include improved seeds, efficient irrigation, sustainable soil management, better storage and processing, effective transportation and measures to reduce post-harvest losses, particularly for smallholder farmers, women and young people.
With Nigeria’s population continuing to grow, he said the country needed to increase its capacity to produce sufficient, safe and nutritious food throughout the year, while improving affordability, productivity and resilience to climate change, economic pressures and insecurity.
The permanent secretary reiterated that food security required contributions from all sectors of society, urging Nigerians to embrace innovation and support efforts to strengthen agricultural production and food distribution.
He also acknowledged the contributions of the FAO, the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), the World Bank and other development partners, as well as women and youth farmers, to the country’s agricultural development.
