The federal government of Nigeria has disclosed that 118,000 hectares of wheat have been cultivated across 11 states as part of efforts to alleviate Nigeria’s Food Security issues and lessen its reliance on wheat imports. Aliyu Abdullahi, the Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, revealed this development during an interview with Channels Television’s Politics in Abuja. He credited the achievement to President Bola Tinubu’s strategic intervention through the National Agricultural Growth Scheme and Agro-pocket Project (NAGS-AP), a program that empowers farmers through the distribution of subsidized agricultural inputs.
Abdullahi emphasized that although Nigerian wheat production has always lagged behind demand, the 2023–2024 dry season farming initiative represented a turning point. The government’s targeted support, combined with growing Private Sector involvement, notably from Flour Mills of Nigeria and independent farmers, was crucial in driving the actual cultivated hectares above the desired amount. He added that more than 500,000 metric tons of wheat have been supplied into the Economy thus far by the program, a significant milestone in Nigeria’s agricultural sector.
Ambitious ₦1.25 trillion wheat revenue target set for 2025.
He, however, dispelled widespread concerns about food shortages, claiming that the government is actively tackling these issues through policy changes and initiatives and that rising Food Prices are a result of broader macroeconomic issues. Abdullahi further disclosed that the government is implementing automation initiatives to increase farmers’ productivity, further develop agricultural output, and ensure food sufficiency. The minister noted that there are already four mechanization schemes underway, and the delivery of equipment has already begun. These interventions—most notably in Niger, Kebbi, and Kaduna—are being carried out in cooperation with state governments.
Earlier in January, the federal government had set a lofty goal of generating ₦1.25 trillion from the production of wheat in 2025. This target is in line with the broader goals of the NAGS-AP. By the dry season of 2024–2025, the program hopes to reach 280,000 farmers, almost 279,000 farmers are already engaged, and an estimated production of 837,891 metric tons is anticipated. The previous year 2023/2024 wheat production program achieved near-perfect execution, recording a 97 percent success rate and providing vital agricultural support to over 118,000 farmers across 15 states.
Govt targets to achieve self-sufficiency in wheat production.
This remarkable outcome prompted the government to extend the program to 16 wheat-producing states in the next season, utilizing a well-coordinated distribution scheme that includes 409 redemption centers and a network of Agro-dealers. The situation after the 2015/2016 oil price collapse was what triggered a re-evaluation of Nigeria’s agricultural policies, prompting policymakers to view wheat self-sufficiency as a strategic priority. This shift led to the inclusion of wheat under the Central Bank of Nigeria’s Anchor Borrowers’ Programme (ABP), a financing scheme aimed at revitalizing key agricultural value chains.
Alongside generating revenue, the government is working to reverse the trends of high wheat imports and low domestic production, which always results in demands that are far greater than what local capacity can cater for. For instance, barely 1%, or 63,000 MT, of Nigeria’s current wheat demand—which ranges between 5 and 6 million MT—is produced locally. Data from OEC shows that Nigeria became the sixth-largest wheat importer in the world in 2023, importing $2.97 billion worth of wheat.
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However, the current endeavors trajectory to cultivate wheat seeks to move away from this import-dominated trend. The ultimate objective is to make wheat cultivation a high-yield, mechanized endeavor. With the government’s current initiatives gathering momentum, there is a renewed sense of hope that Nigeria is headed toward wheat production self-sufficiency. While the progress made so far is encouraging, additional steps are required to build on these successes and guarantee that Nigeria meets its objective of lowering wheat imports.