Nigeria’s Agricultural Imports Hit N2.22tn Amid Criticism of Tinubu’s Food Price Policies

Nigeria’s agricultural import bill surged to N2.22 trillion in the first half of 2025, sparking outrage among farmers, rice millers, and sector stakeholders who accuse the Federal Government of undermining local production and worsening food insecurity.

The backlash intensified after President Bola Tinubu, on September 11, 2025, directed a Federal Executive Council committee to further crash food prices nationwide. Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Sabi Abdullahi, confirmed the order in Abuja while speaking at a capacity-building workshop for Senate correspondents.

According to Abdullahi, the President’s directive would ensure the safe passage of food items across the country’s transport routes to lower costs. “The President has given a matching order to a committee already handling this. We are working very hard to ensure products move freely across the country” he said.

But farmers and millers dismissed the pronouncement as ineffective. Kabir Ibrahim, President of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), argued that the directive fails to address the real issues. “The cost of food will only go down if transport costs reduce, but that alone is not enough. Our farmers cannot even afford fertiliser. Importation has dealt a huge blow to them” he said.

Peter Dama, Chairman of the Competitive African Rice Forum, warned that government actions risk discouraging private investment. “You don’t just order prices to crash. At best, the government should have engaged stakeholders, discussed subsidies and supported local producers. Pronouncements without consultation will not work” he cautioned.

Stakeholders also criticised delays in mechanisation. In July 2024, the government launched 2,000 tractors to support farmers, but over a year later, none have been distributed. “Farmers are growing impatient,” Ibrahim noted, stressing that mechanisation is key to boosting productivity. A senior ministry official confirmed that modalities for distribution remain stuck at the presidency awaiting approval.

Another major concern is weak purchasing power. “Even if prices fall, Nigerians lack the money to buy food. That is why there is no impact” Ibrahim said.

NBS data shows imports rising sharply: agricultural imports climbed from N1.04tn in Q1 2025 to N1.18tn in Q2 2025. This represents a 32.6 per cent year-on-year increase from N893.25bn in Q2 2024, and a 14.35 per cent jump from Q1 2025. The total N2.22tn figure marks a 22.65 per cent rise compared to the first half of 2024.

The surge followed Tinubu’s 180-day duty-free waiver policy introduced in July 2024, which allowed millers and firms with backward integration programmes to import staples such as maize, rice, wheat, beans, and millet tax-free. While the policy, which ended in December 2024, aimed to curb inflation, farmers insist it only triggered massive importation without easing consumer hardship.

Maize prices, for instance, have crashed from N60,000 per tonne to N30,000, leaving farmers unable to recover input costs. “Farmers are not going back to their fields. They cannot buy fertiliser, and the impact is devastating,” Ibrahim lamented.

Small-scale farmers, especially women, are among the worst affected. Chinasa Asonye, National Secretary of the Small-Scale Women Farmers Organisation in Nigeria, warned that high input costs, expired subsidised products, and hoarding have crippled production. “Some imported rice now sells at N48,000 per bag with weevils inside. Government must subsidise inputs so farmers can survive,” she said.

Stakeholders agree that piecemeal policies—whether duty-free imports, price crash directives, or delayed tractor distribution—cannot resolve Nigeria’s food crisis. They stress that only subsidies, mechanisation, and meaningful stakeholder engagement will strengthen local production and secure the nation’s food supply.

With agricultural imports climbing to record levels and local farmers losing ground, experts warn that Nigeria’s dependence on imports will continue to rise unless urgent reforms are made.