Nigerian govt working to boost food production, stabilise supply – Minister

The Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Aliyu Abdullahi, said the Federal Government is working to increase food production, strengthen sustainability, and stabilise the nation’s food supply.

Abdullahi spoke at the 2026 budget defence session organised by the Joint National Assembly Committees on Agriculture, Production, Services, and Rural Development in Abuja on Tuesday.

He said ongoing efforts to ensure food security continue despite funding limitations, high input costs, and structural challenges affecting farmers across the country.

According to him, “Despite prevailing financial constraints, Nigerian farmers have shown strong commitment to production, with government surveys indicating marginal increases in output.”

The minister noted that sustaining the gains requires addressing structural challenges confronting producers nationwide.

He added that about 30 per cent of the 2025 capital allocation, roughly N18 billion, is yet to be released.

“Only funds tied to constituency-related projects have seen partial disbursement, with about N19.8 billion released so far,” Abdullahi said, adding that limited capital releases have slowed programme execution and restricted the ministry’s capacity to scale support for farmers.

For the 2026 fiscal year, Abdullahi said the agricultural sector is projected to receive about N1 trillion in total allocation.

Nigerian govt working to boost food production, stabilise supply – Minister