In a major push to revamp Nigeria’s agricultural landscape, the Federal Government has inaugurated the Agricultural Sector Working Group (ASWG) a high-level platform designed to enhance collaboration, track national performance, and drive sustainable agricultural policies.
The Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari, launched the group in Abuja during a joint event co-hosted by the Ministry and ActionAid Nigeria, describing it as a strategic step aligned with the African Union’s agri-food system transformation agenda.
“The formation of this Working Group aligns with the African Union Heads of State’s vision to strengthen food security, nutrition, and agricultural sustainability across the continent.
“For Nigeria, this means building a resilient system through stakeholder engagement, structured dialogue, and shared expertise,”Kyari stated.
Kyari emphasized that the ASWG will serve as a mechanism for accountability, progress monitoring, and collective action ensuring national policies, programs, and projects respond to emerging agricultural and food security challenges.
He also stressed the importance of exploring alternative strategies and solutions, especially in areas like credit access, soil health, and value chain development.
ActionAid Nigeria’s Food and Systems Specialist, Mr. Azubike Nwokoye, hailed the launch of the group, stating that it addresses a long-standing gap in sector-wide coordination.
“Over the years, the sector has lacked this level of governance. We’re happy to be part of a platform that will not only improve coordination but also address persistent issues like credit access for smallholder farmers,” Nwokoye said.
He praised the Minister’s efforts in securing a N1.5 trillion recapitalization package for agricultural financing, calling for its full and effective implementation.
He also urged the group to focus on reaching grassroots communities, citing past instances of farmers receiving adulterated seeds and fertilizers under previous intervention schemes.
“We’ve witnessed shortchanging of farmers through poorly executed programs. This platform must ensure transparency and proper service delivery whether from government or private contractors,” he added.
Highlighting other key funding sources such as the National Agricultural Development Fund, Nwokoye stressed the need to push agricultural sector funding above the 10% national allocation benchmark, ensuring it aligns with actual needs and impact.
Speaking earlier, Minister of Finance and Coordinating Economy, Mr. Wale Edun, echoed AU concerns about Africa’s slow progress on the Malabo Declaration targets.
He urged the Working Group to efficiently implement the Post-Malabo Agenda (2026–2035), citing climate change and socio-economic disruptions as key risks requiring adaptive and flexible strategies.
“There is a need for institutional agility to respond to shocks. This Working Group has a responsibility to coordinate with development partners and ensure that the full value chain especially access to finance is developed across all scales of farming,” Edun said.
The ASWG is expected to bring together public sector institutions, development partners, civil society groups, and private sector actors to design, coordinate, and monitor agricultural transformation efforts in Nigeria.
