…as Nigeria faces escalating food insecurity.
ABUJA, NIGERIA – The iNews Times | In a renewed effort to tackle Nigeria’s deepening food crisis, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has directed the immediate implementation of strategies to reduce the cost of food across the country.
The Minister of State for Agriculture, Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, made the disclosure on Wednesday in Abuja, revealing that a special committee of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) has been mandated to carry out the directive without delay.
“The President has given a marching order. A Federal Executive Council committee is already handling it, focusing on how to promote the safe passage of agricultural produce across transport routes in Nigeria,” Abdullahi said during a capacity-building workshop for Senate correspondents.
According to the minister, ensuring the smooth and secure movement of food items is central to reducing logistics costs–one of the key drivers of rising prices in recent months.
Nigeria has faced escalating food insecurity, worsened by the removal of petrol subsidies, surging transportation costs, and insecurity along major supply corridors.
While government interventions have been rolled out in phases, food remains largely unaffordable for millions of Nigerians.
Senator Abdullahi explained that Tinubu’s broader strategy is rooted in a vision of food sovereignty, a model that not only focuses on availability but also targets affordability, accessibility, and sustainable nutrition.
In alignment with this goal, the minister announced two major initiatives set to be launched:
• A Farmer Soil Health Scheme to improve soil fertility and enhance productivity across regions.
• A revamped cooperative reform initiative aimed at empowering local farmers through access to capital, resources, and training.
“Mr. President has shown tremendous interest in the cooperative sector as a veritable tool for resource mobilisation, economic activity generation, and improving the livelihood of our rural farmers,” Abdullahi added.
The workshop, themed “Parliamentary Reporting: Issues, Challenges and Responsibilities,” was attended by key stakeholders including Senate Media Committee Chairman, Senator Yemi Adaramodu; former presidential aide, Senator Ita Solomon Enang; and the Director-General of the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS), Professor Abubakar Sulaiman.
This isn’t the first time Tinubu has emphasized his administration’s food agenda. During his Democracy Day address at the National Assembly in June, the President reaffirmed that Nigeria is on track to achieving food sovereignty through consistent policy implementation.
“Our ‘Nigeria First’ policy will further enhance progress as we consolidate market-driven growth,” Tinubu had declared. “We must learn to produce and grow most of our food. We are on the path to achieving food sovereignty.”
As pressure mounts amid rising hunger and inflation, citizens and stakeholders alike are watching to see whether this new directive will translate into tangible relief for the average Nigerian.
