Nigeria’s agriculture sector records 4.39% growth in Q2 2026

The Federal Government has said Nigeria’s agricultural sector recorded a 4.39 per cent growth in the second quarter of 2026, with crop production expanding by 3.66 per cent, attributing the performance to ongoing reforms and investments in the sector.

The Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, disclosed this in a statement to commemorate World Food Day 2026 on Friday.

Abdullahi, who said the growth figures were reported by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), noted that the performance marked a strong growth trajectory for the sector for the first time since 2021.

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He said the development demonstrated the impact of government reforms and investments aimed at transforming agriculture into a productive, resilient and competitive sector capable of ensuring food security and driving economic growth.

The minister, in a statement themed “Innovate Today. Nourish Tomorrow,” reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to ensuring food security for Nigerians under President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

He said the government was implementing interventions across the agricultural value chain, including research, inputs, storage, processing, financing, marketing and consumption, in collaboration with state governments, farmers’ organisations, development partners, research institutions and the private sector.

According to him, the National Agricultural Growth Scheme and Agro-Pocket (NAGS-AP) have supported smallholder farmers to produce 2.5 million metric tonnes of staple foods in four farming seasons.

Abdullahi also disclosed that Nigeria’s annual domestic wheat production had increased to approximately 420,000 metric tonnes, representing a 3.5-fold rise from the previous baseline of 120,000 metric tonnes.

He said the government had also commenced the Renewed Hope Agricultural Mechanisation Programme with the commissioning of 2,000 tractors and implements to improve farming efficiency, reduce labour demands and attract young people to agriculture.

The minister explained that other interventions included soil mapping under the National Soil Health and Fertility Programme, promotion of biofortified crops and the revitalisation of extension services through newly trained frontline agents and digital e-extension platforms.

He said the digital platforms were being linked to the National Farmers Registry, which had been harmonised with the National Identification Number (NIN), to improve farmer identification and service delivery.

On efforts to address rising food prices, Abdullahi said the government was tackling the problem through expanded dry-season farming, investments in Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones (SAPZs), and the development of storage and cold-chain facilities.

He said the interventions were designed to reduce post-harvest losses from about 40 per cent to below 20 per cent.

The government was also implementing the orderly release of food from the Strategic Food Reserve and a Guaranteed Minimum Price mechanism as part of efforts to stabilise food supplies and strengthen agricultural markets, he added.

The minister further said the government was promoting climate-smart agriculture, expanding irrigation, repositioning the Bank of Agriculture to provide affordable financing, and strengthening agricultural insurance and pest surveillance.

On cooperative development, Abdullahi said the implementation of the National Cooperative Identity Reform under the Renewed Hope Cooperative Reform and Revamp Programme 2030 would transform the country’s cooperative sector into a credible, transparent and bankable economic bloc.

He explained that the programme, unanimously approved by the 8th National Council on Cooperative Affairs in March 2026, was built around seven pillars.

These include legal and regulatory reforms, digitalisation and data management, cooperative finance, capacity building, enterprise growth, socioeconomic inclusion and strategic partnerships.

The minister said the reforms were expected to strengthen cooperatives’ capacity to support agricultural production, improve access to finance and promote inclusive economic growth.

However, he acknowledged that insecurity in some major food-producing areas of northern Nigeria remained a challenge to agricultural production.

He said the government was addressing the situation through the deployment of additional personnel from the Army, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps and Agro-Rangers to protect farmlands, alongside stronger collaboration between security agencies and farming communities.

Abdullahi called for collective action to address food insecurity, appreciating the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and other development partners for their continued support.

He said the government remained committed to building an agricultural sector capable of feeding the nation, improving farmers’ livelihoods and contributing significantly to economic growth.