Nigeria’s food security challenge is not simply about how much food the country can produce. It is also about whether farmers can operate safely, whether investors can trust agricultural policies, and whether the systems connecting research, production and markets actually work.
That was a central message emerging from the AgriConnectX Summit Lagos 2026, where former President Olusegun Obasanjo and the Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, called attention to structural challenges facing Nigerian agriculture.
Obasanjo highlighted insecurity in farming communities, warning that farmers cannot be expected to produce enough food when attacks force them to abandon their farms or leave them uncertain about whether their harvests will be safe.
He also stressed the importance of ensuring that agricultural research reaches farmers. Improved seeds and research findings have limited value if the people who need them cannot access or adopt them.
Sanusi, meanwhile, focused on policy consistency and investment confidence. His argument was straightforward: when governments change import policies unpredictably, farmers and agribusinesses that have invested on the strength of previous policy commitments can be left exposed. Such uncertainty can discourage future investment and make lenders more reluctant to finance agricultural production.
These concerns point to a problem that extends beyond individual farms. Agriculture requires a system in which farmers can plan, invest, produce and sell with a reasonable degree of confidence.
That system depends on security, reliable inputs, agricultural research, finance, infrastructure, processing capacity and functioning markets. Weakness in one area can undermine progress in the others.
Consider the implications. A farmer may receive improved seeds but lack the security to cultivate the land. Another may obtain financing and produce a successful harvest, only to face unpredictable market conditions. A processor may invest in equipment but struggle to secure a consistent supply of quality produce.
Increasing production targets alone cannot resolve these interconnected challenges. For Nigeria, the priority must be to build greater coherence across agricultural policy, research, security, finance and trade. Policies intended to protect domestic production must also consider consumer affordability, food availability and the transition costs faced by farmers and businesses.
Consistency does not mean that governments can never adjust their policies. It means changes should be transparent, evidence-based and predictable enough for businesses and farmers to make informed decisions.
The same principle applies to research: discoveries must move beyond research stations and into farmers’ fields through effective extension services, accessible technology and practical support.
NBF Insight
Food security is not achieved at the point of harvest alone. It is built through the conditions that make production possible and the systems that ensure food can move efficiently from farms to consumers.
Nigeria needs productive farmers, but it also needs policies that inspire confidence, institutions that work together, and markets that reward investment.
The fundamental question is no longer how to produce more food. It is how to build an agricultural system in which producing food becomes a more secure, predictable, and commercially viable enterprise.
