Local farmers and agricultural experts in Nigeria have expressed deep concern over the country’s escalating food import expenses, which reached 2.34 billion dollars in 2025 according to Central Bank of Nigeria data. They attribute this heavy reliance on imported food items largely to persistent insecurity across farming communities, which continues to undermine domestic production capabilities.
In separate interviews conducted by the News Agency of Nigeria in Lagos, stakeholders called on the government to treat the safety of farmlands and rural areas as a national priority to reverse the trend and build genuine food self sufficiency. The General Secretary of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria, Mr Femi Oke, described the ongoing importation of locally producible commodities as highly discouraging for farmers nationwide.
He emphasized that such practices erode efforts to expand domestic agricultural output and weaken the path toward lasting food security. Oke noted that only a limited category of items, such as certain dairy products needing specialized handling, might warrant importation, while the bulk of food needs should be met through local farming. He urged authorities to actively discourage excessive imports and instead provide robust support to empower Nigerian farmers to scale up production effectively.
Agricultural communication expert Dr Ismail Olawale echoed these sentiments by stressing that sustainable progress in the sector demands far more than higher budget allocations alone. He highlighted critical factors including rural development, security measures, efficient logistics, and reliable infrastructure as essential pillars for true food security.
Olawale warned that many food producing communities remain underdeveloped and highly exposed to banditry and other threats, calling for comprehensive government intervention through enhanced surveillance, secure farm to market roads, and broader social investments. According to him, a holistic strategy that links agriculture with improvements in security and transportation will yield better long term results than isolated funding efforts.
Similarly, the National Publicity Secretary of the Poultry Association of Nigeria, Mr Godwin Egbebe, pointed out that insecurity has driven numerous farmers to abandon their lands and relocate to urban centers in search of safer livelihoods. This migration, he explained, has directly contributed to lower overall food output and greater dependence on foreign supplies. Egbebe maintained that meaningful reduction in import bills requires decisive action to secure farming areas, as financial investments alone will deliver minimal impact if producers cannot safely access their fields.
Collectively, these stakeholders appealed to the government to fortify security presence in rural zones, upgrade supporting infrastructure, and foster an environment conducive to expanded local production, thereby reducing Nigeria’s vulnerability to external food sources.
