Abuja, Nigeria – September 16, 2025
Nigeria’s agricultural imports surged to ₦2.22 trillion ($1.5bn) in the first half of 2025, sparking criticism from farmers and millers who accuse the government of undermining local production while ordering a “crash” in food prices.
On September 11, President Bola Tinubu directed a cabinet committee to ensure food prices drop nationwide. The Ministry of Agriculture said the plan includes easing transport bottlenecks for agricultural goods.
But farmer groups argue that pronouncements cannot override market realities. Kabir Ibrahim, president of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria, warned that imports and weak purchasing power are crippling the sector:
“Even if food prices fall, people don’t have the money to buy. Farmers cannot recover input costs, and many are leaving the fields.”
Rice millers also pushed back. Peter Dama of the Competitive African Rice Forum said government orders risk deterring private investment:
“You don’t just command prices to fall. Stakeholders must be engaged. Otherwise, farmers will abandon agriculture.”
The import surge follows a 180-day duty-free policy that allowed staple food imports in late 2024. Critics say the measure flooded the market with cheap imports, halved maize prices, and left warehouses with unsold stock.
Compounding frustrations, farmers say 2,000 tractors launched in 2024 to boost mechanisation remain undelivered. Input costs remain high, with some subsidised fertilisers reportedly expired.
Women farmers warn the crisis is hitting smallholders hardest. Chinasa Asonye of the Small-Scale Women Farmers Organisation said:
“Without affordable fertilisers and herbicides, production will collapse. Farmers cannot keep working at a loss.”
While the government insists its interventions will ease food inflation, stakeholders argue that without subsidies, infrastructure, and meaningful engagement, Nigeria risks deepening its dependence on imports and worsening food insecurity.
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