The Federal Government has restated its commitment to the promotion of agriculture and attainment of food security in Nigeria. Speaking on his New Year message to the nation, President Bola Tinubu admitted that last year, the cost of food and essential drugs remained a major concern for many Nigerian households.
“In 2025, our government is committed to intensifying efforts to lower these costs by boosting food production and promoting local manufacturing of essential drugs and other medical supplies. We are resolute in our ambition to reduce inflation from its current high of 34.6% to 15%. In this New Year, my administration will further consolidate and increase access to credit for individuals and critical sectors of the economy to boost national economic output … Let me use this New Year’s message to urge our governors and local council chairpersons to work closely with the central government to seize emerging opportunities in agriculture, livestock, and tax reforms and move our nation forward”, Tinubu said.
In a similar vein, the President, at meeting with Vice President Kashim Shettima and state governors, in a statement by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, said leadership at the sub-national level is central to achieving food security, economic prosperity, and rapid national growth. He expressed his gratitude to the governors for their support and collaboration, as he highlighted key areas requiring joint effort for the country’s progress. “You (governors) are the most important link to Nigeria’s prosperity and development. The Federal Government accounts for about 30 to 35 per cent of the allocated revenue; the rest comes to you. The agricultural value chain depends on you. You own the land, and the job is in your hands”, he said. The President called for a stronger collaboration between the federal and state governments to address pressing challenges, including local government autonomy, agricultural productivity, and currency stability.
While urging governors to prioritise agricultural growth, as the pathway to economic stability, Tinubu said, “We have to work harder, grow more, and ensure the situation of our currency improves. Nigeria will see prosperity, but it requires consistent effort from all of us”. Speaking at the occasion, the Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum and Governor of Kwara State, Abdulrahman Abdulrazak, said the Federal Government’s policies “are working. In agriculture, I was in Jigawa, the complaint in Jigawa was that there was a bumper harvest, but because of the strength of our currency, traders exported the harvest. So, most of us are encouraging ourselves to buy bumper stocks into our silos, store them for the rainy day. So, in terms of agriculture, the policy is working. We’ll continue to deepen that and ensure we are 100% sustained in food security and feed the whole of West Africa”, he added.
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