Over the past decade, Nigeria has made commendable strides toward achieving national food security.
These advances were not accidental—they were the direct result of deliberate and focused policies under the leadership of former Presidents Goodluck Ebele Jonathan and Muhammadu Buhari.
Their administrations recognized the importance of local food production, and through a series of pro-agriculture policies, Nigeria saw a revolution unfold across the farmlands of the nation.
Between 2010 and 2018, rice paddy production grew from 4.5 million tons to 6.5 million tons, and by 2023, production had skyrocketed to 8.9 million tons—nearly double the volume recorded in 2009.
These results were driven by policies that restricted the importation of key staple grains such as rice and maize. Import bans and limitations provided the much-needed protection for Nigerian farmers and agribusinesses, fostering an environment where agriculture could thrive.
Smallholder farmers—responsible for producing over 90% of Nigeria’s food—were among the biggest beneficiaries. As demand for local food rose and prices became more favorable, rural farmers experienced significant boosts in their income and productivity. Despite challenges like insecurity in the countryside, these farmers pressed on, motivated by the real economic rewards their labor brought them.
In addition, value chain investments flourished. Midstream agribusinesses, particularly in the rice sector, saw a boom. Integrated rice mills expanded across the country. From only 10 commercial rice mills in 2010, Nigeria had over 100 functioning mills by 2023.
This growth more than doubled the nation’s rice milling capacity—from 2.8 million tons to over 5.2 million tons. With it came thousands of new jobs, strengthened rural economies, and a gradual shift in consumer perception. For the first time in modern history, millions of Nigerians began to embrace locally produced rice, shedding the old belief that imported grains were of superior quality.
However, this momentum is now at risk of complete reversal.
The current administration under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has, regrettably, rolled back many of the protective policies that made these gains possible. In a shocking and disheartening shift, import bans on rice, maize, and soya beans have been lifted.
What’s more troubling is that certain special interest groups, leveraging their political influence, have misled the President into believing that lifting the ban on rice and other grain imports would reduce food prices and alleviate the suffering of millions of Nigerians who can no longer afford basic staples.
These same groups went on to secure lucrative import quotas and have flooded Nigerian markets with substandard grains. Meanwhile, the nation’s borders have been thrown open, allowing a surge of smuggled, often unhealthy, foreign grains into the country.
The result has been catastrophic. Nigerian smallholder farmers are once again left exposed to the vagaries of global markets, unable to compete with the flood of cheap, low-quality imports. Many are abandoning their farms—not just because of cost but also due to the worsening insecurity in rural areas. At the same time, investors who had poured their capital into local production and processing are pulling out in droves, watching as their returns evaporate in the face of hostile policy shifts.
This regression not only threatens the livelihoods of millions of farmers, processors, and agro-traders—it threatens Nigeria’s national food security. We are witnessing a return to dependency on foreign food, increased rural poverty, and a growing public health crisis from the consumption of unregulated, unhealthy smuggled grains.
Mr. President, the situation is dire.
Your administration’s current import policies are dismantling over a decade’s worth of progress. We urge you to reflect deeply on the consequences of these decisions. Our farmers, our agribusinesses, and indeed our entire population cannot afford a reversal of the self-sufficiency path that Nigeria was firmly treading.
We strongly call on you to:
- Reinstate import restrictions on key staple grains to protect local producers from unfair competition.
- Prioritize and incentivize local production, especially among smallholder farmers who form the backbone of Nigeria’s food system.
- Crack down on smuggling and secure Nigeria’s borders against the inflow of unwholesome and illegal agricultural imports.
- Support private sector agribusinesses and value chain actors through grants, tax incentives, and credit facilities that will restore confidence and encourage re-investment.
- Commit to a national agricultural agenda that secures our future and strengthens food sovereignty.
Nigeria has no business depending on foreign nations to feed its over 200 million citizens. The progress made in the past decade is proof that we can feed ourselves. Let us not throw it all away.
Mr. President, the time to act is now—before the nation loses more than just its food security.
Michael U Ameh writes as a concerned stakeholder and key player in the Nigerian Agricultural sector
Michael can be reached on mikekwuby@gmail.com
