An outbreak of African swine fever in Nigeria’s Plateau State has killed thousands of pigs, forcing some farmers to sell their animals at sharply reduced prices or halt operations altogether. The outbreak is raising concerns over pork supplies and livelihoods across the industry.
Showing posts with label Farming. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Farming. Show all posts
Tuesday, September 22, 2026
Video African swine fever outbreak threatens pork supplies in Nigeria
An outbreak of African swine fever in Nigeria’s Plateau State has killed thousands of pigs, forcing some farmers to sell their animals at sharply reduced prices or halt operations altogether. The outbreak is raising concerns over pork supplies and livelihoods across the industry.
Monday, September 14, 2026
Nigeria’s pesticide crisis is poisoning farmers, food and the future
A new regional study has delivered another disturbing warning about Nigeria’s pesticide crisis: approximately 69 per cent of the country’s farmers and farm workers experience unintentional acute pesticide poisoning every year.
Published in Frontiers in Public Health and commissioned by the Pesticide Action Network, the study examined pesticide exposure among farmers and farm workers in six West African countries. Nigeria recorded the second-highest incidence in the region, behind Burkina Faso, where the figure was estimated at 83.8 per cent. The Gambia recorded 51.5 per cent, Ghana 39 per cent, Senegal 30.5 per cent and Côte d’Ivoire 20 per cent. Across the six countries, an average of 48.9 per cent of farmers and farm workers were estimated to experience unintentional acute pesticide poisoning annually.
Acute pesticide poisoning refers to illnesses or harmful health effects experienced shortly after pesticide exposure. Symptoms can include headaches, dizziness, vomiting, breathing difficulties, abdominal pain, weakness, and eye and skin irritation. Severe exposure may result in unconsciousness or death.
Nigeria’s 69 per cent figure is shocking, but it is not surprising. Evidence from farming communities suggests that it may even understate the true scale of the problem. Many cases are never diagnosed, treated or officially recorded because farmers lack access to functioning healthcare facilities, poison-control services and appropriate laboratory testing.
The study comes shortly after former Vice President Yemi Osinbajo drew national attention to another dimension of Nigeria’s food-safety crisis. Speaking at an Open Day for Gardeners’ seminar in Lagos, Osinbajo disclosed that laboratory analysis had found his wife Dolapo’s freshly squeezed orange juice unfit for human consumption.
According to him, his wife had stopped taking carbonated drinks and adopted fresh orange juice as a healthier alternative. Yet she began experiencing unexplained headaches. The subsequent laboratory test raised troubling questions about the substances used to produce, ripen and preserve fruits sold in Nigerian markets.
The incident should not be dismissed as an isolated case. It illustrates a much wider failure in Nigeria’s management of pesticides, food preservatives and other hazardous agricultural chemicals. Substances such as calcium carbide and highly toxic pesticides are reportedly being used to ripen fruits, preserve produce and control pests, often without adequate regulation, training or consideration for their effects on human health and the environment.
Research cited by Osinbajo found that some fruit sellers admitted using calcium carbide to ripen produce artificially. Another survey among fruit and vegetable retailers in Lagos found significant use of chemicals to preserve produce. Such practices potentially expose farmers, traders, food vendors, consumers and entire communities to dangerous substances that should never enter the food chain.
Evidence from Nigerian farming communities
The Alliance for Action on Pesticides in Nigeria has investigated pesticide use in the country since 2019. The investigations examined the brands used by farmers, their active ingredients and the regulatory status of products available in Nigerian markets.
In one survey involving smallholder women farmers, 94.2 per cent of respondents reported using synthetic chemical pesticides. Among those using pesticides, 85 per cent did not use or have access to appropriate personal protective equipment. 75 per cent reported serious health problems that they associated with pesticide exposure, including headaches, dizziness, breathing difficulties, skin rashes, and irritation affecting the eyes and mouth.
AAPN has also reviewed pesticide brands and agrochemicals listed in the Green Book of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control. The assessment indicated that approximately 65 per cent of the pesticides registered in Nigeria could be classified as highly hazardous, while about 58 per cent were not approved for use in the European Union, but were imported to countries in the Global South.
In a 2023 assessment of 104 pesticide brands, AAPN identified active ingredients associated with serious chronic health and environmental hazards, including carcinogenicity, kidney disease, endocrine disruption, immune-system damage, neurological effects and reproductive toxicity.
These findings give a human face to the new regional study. The estimated 69 per cent incidence of acute pesticide poisoning is not an abstract statistic. It represents millions of farmers and agricultural workers who may be repeatedly exposed to toxic substances while producing the food consumed across Nigeria.
By Donald Ikenna Ofoegbu, ICIR
Published in Frontiers in Public Health and commissioned by the Pesticide Action Network, the study examined pesticide exposure among farmers and farm workers in six West African countries. Nigeria recorded the second-highest incidence in the region, behind Burkina Faso, where the figure was estimated at 83.8 per cent. The Gambia recorded 51.5 per cent, Ghana 39 per cent, Senegal 30.5 per cent and Côte d’Ivoire 20 per cent. Across the six countries, an average of 48.9 per cent of farmers and farm workers were estimated to experience unintentional acute pesticide poisoning annually.
Acute pesticide poisoning refers to illnesses or harmful health effects experienced shortly after pesticide exposure. Symptoms can include headaches, dizziness, vomiting, breathing difficulties, abdominal pain, weakness, and eye and skin irritation. Severe exposure may result in unconsciousness or death.
Nigeria’s 69 per cent figure is shocking, but it is not surprising. Evidence from farming communities suggests that it may even understate the true scale of the problem. Many cases are never diagnosed, treated or officially recorded because farmers lack access to functioning healthcare facilities, poison-control services and appropriate laboratory testing.
The study comes shortly after former Vice President Yemi Osinbajo drew national attention to another dimension of Nigeria’s food-safety crisis. Speaking at an Open Day for Gardeners’ seminar in Lagos, Osinbajo disclosed that laboratory analysis had found his wife Dolapo’s freshly squeezed orange juice unfit for human consumption.
According to him, his wife had stopped taking carbonated drinks and adopted fresh orange juice as a healthier alternative. Yet she began experiencing unexplained headaches. The subsequent laboratory test raised troubling questions about the substances used to produce, ripen and preserve fruits sold in Nigerian markets.
The incident should not be dismissed as an isolated case. It illustrates a much wider failure in Nigeria’s management of pesticides, food preservatives and other hazardous agricultural chemicals. Substances such as calcium carbide and highly toxic pesticides are reportedly being used to ripen fruits, preserve produce and control pests, often without adequate regulation, training or consideration for their effects on human health and the environment.
Research cited by Osinbajo found that some fruit sellers admitted using calcium carbide to ripen produce artificially. Another survey among fruit and vegetable retailers in Lagos found significant use of chemicals to preserve produce. Such practices potentially expose farmers, traders, food vendors, consumers and entire communities to dangerous substances that should never enter the food chain.
Evidence from Nigerian farming communities
The Alliance for Action on Pesticides in Nigeria has investigated pesticide use in the country since 2019. The investigations examined the brands used by farmers, their active ingredients and the regulatory status of products available in Nigerian markets.
In one survey involving smallholder women farmers, 94.2 per cent of respondents reported using synthetic chemical pesticides. Among those using pesticides, 85 per cent did not use or have access to appropriate personal protective equipment. 75 per cent reported serious health problems that they associated with pesticide exposure, including headaches, dizziness, breathing difficulties, skin rashes, and irritation affecting the eyes and mouth.
AAPN has also reviewed pesticide brands and agrochemicals listed in the Green Book of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control. The assessment indicated that approximately 65 per cent of the pesticides registered in Nigeria could be classified as highly hazardous, while about 58 per cent were not approved for use in the European Union, but were imported to countries in the Global South.
In a 2023 assessment of 104 pesticide brands, AAPN identified active ingredients associated with serious chronic health and environmental hazards, including carcinogenicity, kidney disease, endocrine disruption, immune-system damage, neurological effects and reproductive toxicity.
These findings give a human face to the new regional study. The estimated 69 per cent incidence of acute pesticide poisoning is not an abstract statistic. It represents millions of farmers and agricultural workers who may be repeatedly exposed to toxic substances while producing the food consumed across Nigeria.
Dangerous chemicals are readily available
Highly hazardous pesticides are not difficult to obtain in Nigeria. They are sold in community shops, village markets and urban agrochemical outlets across the country. In some communities without a functional pharmacy or primary healthcare facility, farmers – even children can still easily purchase dangerous pesticides, sometimes from dealers with limited knowledge of their toxicity, correct application, storage requirements or safe disposal.
Hazardous pesticides have also entered farming communities through agricultural support programmes, farmers’ associations, ministries, donor-supported projects, constituency interventions and donations by politicians and philanthropists. Too often, the emphasis is on distributing products rather than determining whether farmers understand their dangers.
Before any pesticide is handed to a farmer, basic questions must be answered. Has the farmer been trained to apply it correctly? Does the farmer have appropriate protective equipment? Does the farmer understand the required dosage and storage and disposal procedures? Does the farmer know the waiting period between pesticide application and harvesting? Is the product even approved for use on the intended crop?
In far too many cases, the answer is no.
Agricultural extension services, which should provide farmers with reliable information, have deteriorated considerably. Even where extension support exists, pest management is frequently reduced to recommending chemical application. Many extension personnel have not received adequate training in integrated pest management, agroecology and other sustainable practices that can prevent or control pests while reducing dependence on hazardous chemicals.
Public spending reflects this imbalance. In the 2023 federal budget, approximately ₦2.08 billion was allocated to chemical pesticides through the headquarters of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture. By comparison, only about ₦37.4 million was allocated to organic pesticides and biopesticides. Such priorities reinforce a farming system that treats chemical pesticides as the first response rather than the last resort.
Highly hazardous pesticides are not difficult to obtain in Nigeria. They are sold in community shops, village markets and urban agrochemical outlets across the country. In some communities without a functional pharmacy or primary healthcare facility, farmers – even children can still easily purchase dangerous pesticides, sometimes from dealers with limited knowledge of their toxicity, correct application, storage requirements or safe disposal.
Hazardous pesticides have also entered farming communities through agricultural support programmes, farmers’ associations, ministries, donor-supported projects, constituency interventions and donations by politicians and philanthropists. Too often, the emphasis is on distributing products rather than determining whether farmers understand their dangers.
Before any pesticide is handed to a farmer, basic questions must be answered. Has the farmer been trained to apply it correctly? Does the farmer have appropriate protective equipment? Does the farmer understand the required dosage and storage and disposal procedures? Does the farmer know the waiting period between pesticide application and harvesting? Is the product even approved for use on the intended crop?
In far too many cases, the answer is no.
Agricultural extension services, which should provide farmers with reliable information, have deteriorated considerably. Even where extension support exists, pest management is frequently reduced to recommending chemical application. Many extension personnel have not received adequate training in integrated pest management, agroecology and other sustainable practices that can prevent or control pests while reducing dependence on hazardous chemicals.
Public spending reflects this imbalance. In the 2023 federal budget, approximately ₦2.08 billion was allocated to chemical pesticides through the headquarters of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture. By comparison, only about ₦37.4 million was allocated to organic pesticides and biopesticides. Such priorities reinforce a farming system that treats chemical pesticides as the first response rather than the last resort.
The danger does not end at the farm gate
The pesticide crisis is often discussed as though it affects only those who apply chemicals on farms. This ignores the multiplier effect across the food system.
Farmers’ families may be exposed through contaminated clothing, improperly stored products, discarded containers, polluted water and pesticide drift from nearby farms. Traders and processors handle treated produce, while consumers may ingest residues remaining on fruits, vegetables, grains and other foods.
Women farmers may face particularly serious risks because they are often involved in planting, pesticide application, harvesting, processing and food preparation, in addition to caring for sick family members. They can therefore be exposed at several points in the food system. Children may encounter pesticide residues through food, water, contaminated clothing, improperly stored chemicals and discarded pesticide containers.
Farmers sell their produce to traders, who supply markets, processors, restaurants and households. Chemical residues can move along this entire chain. Waterways, soil, beneficial insects and biodiversity may also be damaged by indiscriminate pesticide use and improper disposal.
The question, therefore, is not only how many farmers are being poisoned. We must also ask how many traders are handling contaminated produce, how many communities are drinking from polluted water sources and how many consumers are unknowingly eating food containing unsafe pesticide residues.
When this multiplier effect is considered, pesticide exposure becomes not merely an occupational hazard but a national public-health emergency.
The pesticide crisis is often discussed as though it affects only those who apply chemicals on farms. This ignores the multiplier effect across the food system.
Farmers’ families may be exposed through contaminated clothing, improperly stored products, discarded containers, polluted water and pesticide drift from nearby farms. Traders and processors handle treated produce, while consumers may ingest residues remaining on fruits, vegetables, grains and other foods.
Women farmers may face particularly serious risks because they are often involved in planting, pesticide application, harvesting, processing and food preparation, in addition to caring for sick family members. They can therefore be exposed at several points in the food system. Children may encounter pesticide residues through food, water, contaminated clothing, improperly stored chemicals and discarded pesticide containers.
Farmers sell their produce to traders, who supply markets, processors, restaurants and households. Chemical residues can move along this entire chain. Waterways, soil, beneficial insects and biodiversity may also be damaged by indiscriminate pesticide use and improper disposal.
The question, therefore, is not only how many farmers are being poisoned. We must also ask how many traders are handling contaminated produce, how many communities are drinking from polluted water sources and how many consumers are unknowingly eating food containing unsafe pesticide residues.
When this multiplier effect is considered, pesticide exposure becomes not merely an occupational hazard but a national public-health emergency.
A largely invisible health crisis
The actual number of pesticide-related illnesses and deaths in Nigeria is difficult to establish. Many affected people never reach a hospital. Even when they do, healthcare workers may not recognise or record pesticide exposure as the cause of the illness.
Routine medical screening remains inaccessible to a large part of the population, while poison surveillance, laboratory capacity and national reporting systems are inadequate. Consequently, many cases of acute and chronic pesticide poisoning remain invisible in official statistics.
Pesticides are also frequently used in acts of self-harm because they are cheap, highly toxic and readily accessible. Yet Nigeria still lacks the surveillance and reporting systems required to establish the full relationship between pesticide availability, poisoning and suicide.
The absence of comprehensive national data must not be used as an excuse for inaction. Where surveillance systems are weak, a lack of official statistics may indicate institutional failure rather than the absence of a problem.
The actual number of pesticide-related illnesses and deaths in Nigeria is difficult to establish. Many affected people never reach a hospital. Even when they do, healthcare workers may not recognise or record pesticide exposure as the cause of the illness.
Routine medical screening remains inaccessible to a large part of the population, while poison surveillance, laboratory capacity and national reporting systems are inadequate. Consequently, many cases of acute and chronic pesticide poisoning remain invisible in official statistics.
Pesticides are also frequently used in acts of self-harm because they are cheap, highly toxic and readily accessible. Yet Nigeria still lacks the surveillance and reporting systems required to establish the full relationship between pesticide availability, poisoning and suicide.
The absence of comprehensive national data must not be used as an excuse for inaction. Where surveillance systems are weak, a lack of official statistics may indicate institutional failure rather than the absence of a problem.
A threat to trade and the economy
This is not only a public-health and environmental crisis. It is also an economic and trade crisis.
Nigeria continues to face rejection of agricultural exports because of pesticide residues, aflatoxin contamination and other food-safety failures. Concerns have been raised about pesticide residues in export commodities such as sesame. Every rejected shipment damages the country’s reputation, reduces farmers’ earnings and weakens Nigeria’s ability to compete in increasingly regulated international markets.
At a time when global demand for organic and sustainably produced food is expanding, Nigeria should be investing in traceable production, biological inputs, agroecology and dependable food-safety systems. Instead, the country risks subsidising hazardous chemicals at home while losing access to premium markets abroad.
The health costs are equally serious. Nigeria cannot continue spending scarce public resources on treating cancers, kidney diseases, reproductive disorders and other chronic illnesses while failing to address preventable exposure to hazardous chemicals. Prevention is not only safer; it is also far less costly than treatment.
This is not only a public-health and environmental crisis. It is also an economic and trade crisis.
Nigeria continues to face rejection of agricultural exports because of pesticide residues, aflatoxin contamination and other food-safety failures. Concerns have been raised about pesticide residues in export commodities such as sesame. Every rejected shipment damages the country’s reputation, reduces farmers’ earnings and weakens Nigeria’s ability to compete in increasingly regulated international markets.
At a time when global demand for organic and sustainably produced food is expanding, Nigeria should be investing in traceable production, biological inputs, agroecology and dependable food-safety systems. Instead, the country risks subsidising hazardous chemicals at home while losing access to premium markets abroad.
The health costs are equally serious. Nigeria cannot continue spending scarce public resources on treating cancers, kidney diseases, reproductive disorders and other chronic illnesses while failing to address preventable exposure to hazardous chemicals. Prevention is not only safer; it is also far less costly than treatment.
Regulation without enforcement is not enough
NAFDAC has taken important steps, including announcing restrictions on substances such as paraquat and atrazine and conducting enforcement operations in some markets. However, banned and restricted products reportedly remain available.
Regulations mean little when enforcement agencies lack sufficient personnel, laboratories, logistics and operational funding. The Federal Government cannot underfund NAFDAC and still expect it to monitor thousands of manufacturers, importers, distributors, dealers and markets across the country effectively.
The same applies to agricultural extension agencies, environmental regulators, customs authorities and public-health institutions. Agencies cannot fulfil their mandates without the financial, technical and human resources required to conduct inspections, test products, enforce regulations and educate the public.
Responsibility must also extend beyond regulators. The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security must stop treating pesticide procurement and distribution as routine agricultural support. The Federal Ministries responsible for health, environment, finance and budget planning must recognise pesticide exposure as a cross-sectoral national emergency.
State ministries of agriculture must rebuild extension services and train personnel in integrated pest management. Legislators must scrutinise pesticide-related budget lines and stop using dangerous agrochemicals as constituency gifts.
Agro-dealers must be trained, licensed and held accountable for the products they sell. Manufacturers and importers must disclose the hazards associated with their products and accept responsibility for environmental contamination and human harm.
Countries and multinational corporations should not export to Nigeria chemicals that they have prohibited or severely restricted within their own jurisdictions. Nigeria must not be treated as a dumping ground for pesticides considered too dangerous for use elsewhere.
Farmers’ associations, civil society organisations, research institutions and development partners also have a responsibility to examine the products they distribute or promote. A pesticide does not become safe simply because it is supplied through a government programme, donor project or farmers’ cooperative.
NAFDAC has taken important steps, including announcing restrictions on substances such as paraquat and atrazine and conducting enforcement operations in some markets. However, banned and restricted products reportedly remain available.
Regulations mean little when enforcement agencies lack sufficient personnel, laboratories, logistics and operational funding. The Federal Government cannot underfund NAFDAC and still expect it to monitor thousands of manufacturers, importers, distributors, dealers and markets across the country effectively.
The same applies to agricultural extension agencies, environmental regulators, customs authorities and public-health institutions. Agencies cannot fulfil their mandates without the financial, technical and human resources required to conduct inspections, test products, enforce regulations and educate the public.
Responsibility must also extend beyond regulators. The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security must stop treating pesticide procurement and distribution as routine agricultural support. The Federal Ministries responsible for health, environment, finance and budget planning must recognise pesticide exposure as a cross-sectoral national emergency.
State ministries of agriculture must rebuild extension services and train personnel in integrated pest management. Legislators must scrutinise pesticide-related budget lines and stop using dangerous agrochemicals as constituency gifts.
Agro-dealers must be trained, licensed and held accountable for the products they sell. Manufacturers and importers must disclose the hazards associated with their products and accept responsibility for environmental contamination and human harm.
Countries and multinational corporations should not export to Nigeria chemicals that they have prohibited or severely restricted within their own jurisdictions. Nigeria must not be treated as a dumping ground for pesticides considered too dangerous for use elsewhere.
Farmers’ associations, civil society organisations, research institutions and development partners also have a responsibility to examine the products they distribute or promote. A pesticide does not become safe simply because it is supplied through a government programme, donor project or farmers’ cooperative.
Safer alternatives are possible
The belief that Nigeria must choose between producing enough food and protecting people from poison is both false and dangerous. The choice is not between eating contaminated food and starving. The real choice is between continuing a poorly regulated and chemically dependent agricultural system and building a safer, more productive and sustainable food system.
Safer alternatives already exist. Nigerian farmers and enterprises are practising agroecology, integrated pest management, biological pest control, organic production and other forms of sustainable agriculture. Local companies are also producing safer pest- and weed-management products.
What remains inadequate is the policy support, public investment, farmer education and market development required to make these alternatives accessible and affordable at scale.
Nigeria needs a properly funded national programme to progressively phase out highly hazardous pesticides and replace them with safer alternatives. This must be supported by stronger surveillance, effective market inspections, improved poison-control services, regular testing of food and water, public disclosure of enforcement findings and substantial investment in agricultural extension.
The government must redirect subsidies and agricultural budgets towards integrated pest management, biopesticides, agroecology, farmer field schools and locally produced alternatives. No pesticide should be distributed through a government programme, constituency project or donor intervention without proper training, protective equipment, clear instructions and arrangements for collecting expired products and empty containers.
Above all, Nigerians must reject the fatalistic idea that illness and death are unavoidable costs of food production. Farmers deserve protection. Consumers deserve safe food. Communities deserve uncontaminated water and soil. Nigerian businesses deserve access to international markets without repeated rejection of their products.
The evidence is already before us. The warning signs are visible on our farms, in our markets, in our hospitals and in the rejection of our agricultural exports. We can no longer pretend that we do not know.
Nigeria must act before today’s pesticide crisis becomes an irreversible public-health, environmental and economic catastrophe.
The belief that Nigeria must choose between producing enough food and protecting people from poison is both false and dangerous. The choice is not between eating contaminated food and starving. The real choice is between continuing a poorly regulated and chemically dependent agricultural system and building a safer, more productive and sustainable food system.
Safer alternatives already exist. Nigerian farmers and enterprises are practising agroecology, integrated pest management, biological pest control, organic production and other forms of sustainable agriculture. Local companies are also producing safer pest- and weed-management products.
What remains inadequate is the policy support, public investment, farmer education and market development required to make these alternatives accessible and affordable at scale.
Nigeria needs a properly funded national programme to progressively phase out highly hazardous pesticides and replace them with safer alternatives. This must be supported by stronger surveillance, effective market inspections, improved poison-control services, regular testing of food and water, public disclosure of enforcement findings and substantial investment in agricultural extension.
The government must redirect subsidies and agricultural budgets towards integrated pest management, biopesticides, agroecology, farmer field schools and locally produced alternatives. No pesticide should be distributed through a government programme, constituency project or donor intervention without proper training, protective equipment, clear instructions and arrangements for collecting expired products and empty containers.
Above all, Nigerians must reject the fatalistic idea that illness and death are unavoidable costs of food production. Farmers deserve protection. Consumers deserve safe food. Communities deserve uncontaminated water and soil. Nigerian businesses deserve access to international markets without repeated rejection of their products.
The evidence is already before us. The warning signs are visible on our farms, in our markets, in our hospitals and in the rejection of our agricultural exports. We can no longer pretend that we do not know.
Nigeria must act before today’s pesticide crisis becomes an irreversible public-health, environmental and economic catastrophe.
Tuesday, June 9, 2026
Nigeria launches coffee revival plan
According to various news reports, the Nigeria Coffee Revival Initiative (NCRI) – with the support of the federal government, farmers, state governments, research institutes, and private sector stakeholders – was unveiled at the Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria (CRIN) in Ibadan on Thursday 28 May.
The initiative will be cast across 14 coffee-producing states, with a shared goal of rebuilding Nigeria’s coffee industry through policy reforms, improved seedlings, farmer support, value addition, and private sector investment.
Representing the Honourable Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari, Engr. Adetunji, Oyo State Coordinator of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (FMAFS), framed the initiative as a strategic economic intervention.
“Revitalising Nigeria’s coffee industry is a strategic imperative for sustainable economic growth, export development and climate resilience,” says Kyari.
By Meg Kennedy, Global Coffee Report
Thursday, May 28, 2026
Video - Nigeria turns to global partnerships to boost food security
Nigeria is increasingly relying on international partnerships to modernize agriculture and strengthen food production. One key collaboration is with Chinese firm CGCOC Agriculture, which is introducing modern farming technologies and training local farmers to improve productivity and sustainability. CGTN looks at how the initiative is transforming farming communities and what it could mean for Nigeria’s long-term food security goals.
Tuesday, May 26, 2026
Video - Nigerian ginger farmers eye China export boost under zero-tariff deal
Nigeria's ginger farmers say China’s zero-tariff policy could create major export opportunities, especially as the sector recovers from a devastating blight that destroyed up to 95% of harvests in 2023. Farmers and marketers in Kaduna State say stronger government support is needed to help producers meet China’s quality standards and overcome challenges such as poor roads, insecurity and high transport costs.
Friday, August 15, 2025
Video - Young farmers in Nigeria find growth in mushroom farming
Thursday, July 24, 2025
Video - Northeast Nigeria’s farmers battle insurgency, climate, and economic crises
In Nigeria’s northeast, farmers face a triple threat: Boko Haram’s lingering insurgency, climate shocks, and soaring food prices. Once peaceful farmlands are now battlegrounds for survival, pushing millions toward hunger and economic despair.
Friday, June 20, 2025
Firm unveils greenhouse to boost smart farming in Jos
A food processing firm Teva Food, has unveiled a new greenhouse and planted 12,400 seeds of bell pepper and cucumber to boost organic and smart farming in Jos. The facility was officially inaugurated on Thursday, June 18.
Speaking at the event, Mr Chima Christian, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Co Founder of the company, said that the initiative aimed at promoting a climate-resiliant farming. Christian added that the initiative would create job opportunities for residents of the state, particularly for the youths.
"Teva foods is a food production company that started as a result of the fatigue, that people are actually fed up with Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) and inorganic food. So we felt we should do something about it, and we started developing multiple projects across the country.
"We are doing a lot in the food industry and this is why we were here today to officially launch this greenhouse. In this facility, we have planted 12,400 bell pepper and cucumber seeds; this is all in a bid to boost smart and climate-resiliant farming," he said.
Christian also said that the greenhouse would serve as a training ground for residents of the state who wish to learn about smart farming.
He particularly called on the youths to embrace smart farming, particularly as farming has now become a business and not just for subsistence purposes.
"As you can see, in each of our facility we have a training center and there are interns that we are training.
"The goal is to provide young people with the knowledge; and again, agriculture should leave the hands of the aged.
"So we want to put agriculture back in the hands of young people who are enterprising, who will see it as a business.
"This is why we are also motivating people to just come and learn and replicate it in their small spaces," he added.
Christian explained that his initiative would complement President Bola Tinubu's and Gov. Caleb Mutfwang's drive for food security.
Speaking at the event, Mr Chima Christian, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Co Founder of the company, said that the initiative aimed at promoting a climate-resiliant farming. Christian added that the initiative would create job opportunities for residents of the state, particularly for the youths.
"Teva foods is a food production company that started as a result of the fatigue, that people are actually fed up with Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) and inorganic food. So we felt we should do something about it, and we started developing multiple projects across the country.
"We are doing a lot in the food industry and this is why we were here today to officially launch this greenhouse. In this facility, we have planted 12,400 bell pepper and cucumber seeds; this is all in a bid to boost smart and climate-resiliant farming," he said.
Christian also said that the greenhouse would serve as a training ground for residents of the state who wish to learn about smart farming.
He particularly called on the youths to embrace smart farming, particularly as farming has now become a business and not just for subsistence purposes.
"As you can see, in each of our facility we have a training center and there are interns that we are training.
"The goal is to provide young people with the knowledge; and again, agriculture should leave the hands of the aged.
"So we want to put agriculture back in the hands of young people who are enterprising, who will see it as a business.
"This is why we are also motivating people to just come and learn and replicate it in their small spaces," he added.
Christian explained that his initiative would complement President Bola Tinubu's and Gov. Caleb Mutfwang's drive for food security.
Tuesday, May 13, 2025
Nigeria has a food security problem as water for crops is harder to find
After two decades of working his farm in northwestern Nigeria, Umaru Muazu now struggles to find water for his crops.
A murky puddle is all that remains of a river near his 5-hectare farm and those of others in this community in arid Sokoto state. Because the 62-year-old Muazu can’t afford to dig a well to keep crops like millet and maize from withering, he might abandon farming.
“Before, with a small farm, you could get a lot,” he said.
Climate change is challenging agriculture in Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country. With long dry spells and extreme heat, water bodies are drying because the arid season is becoming longer than usual. The wet season, though it can dump excessive rain, is short.
It’s fresh pain in a country where the World Food Program says 31 million people already face food insecurity. Efforts to recover from one climate shock are overlapped by the next, said WFP spokesperson Chi Lael.
The challenges faced by farmers in the north, who account for most of what Nigeria eats, are affecting food prices and availability in the booming coastal south that’s home to the megacity of Lagos.
More than 80% of Nigeria’s farmers are smallholder farmers, who account for 90% of the country’s annual agricultural production. Some work their fields with little more than a piece of roughly carved wood and their bare hands.
Farmers are facing low yields because the government has failed to develop infrastructure like dams to help mitigate the effects of climate change, said Daniel Obiora, national president of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria.
There is little data available on the drying-up of smaller water bodies across the north. But farmers say the trend has been worsening.
In Adamawa state, water scarcity caused by higher temperatures and changing rain patterns has affected over 1,250 hectares (3,088 acres) of farmland, disrupting food supply and livelihoods, Nigeria’s National Emergency Management Agency said last year.
Over-extraction of water and deforestation are other factors contributing to northern Nigeria’s drying rivers, according to Abdulsamad Isah, co-founder of local Extension Africa nonprofit that often works with farmers.
Elsewhere in Sokoto state, Nasiru Bello tilled his farm to cultivate onions without assurance of a meaningful harvest. With nearby rivers and wells drying up, he has resorted to pumping groundwater for the farm that provides the sole income for his family of 26. But the cost of pumping amid soaring gas prices has become unbearable.
“The plants do not grow well as it did,” he said.
Nigeria is forecast to become the world’s third most populous nation by 2025, alongside the United States and after India and China.
With Nigeria’s population expected to reach 400 million by 2050, the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization has been encouraging climate-smart agriculture to help ensure food security, including drip irrigation, which delivers water slowly and directly to roots and helps conserve water, instead of traditional irrigation systems that flood entire fields.
“There should be more orientation for farmers about climate change,” said Yusuf Isah Sokoto, director of the College of Environmental Science at Sokoto’s Umaru Ali Shinkafi Polytechnic.
At least two-thirds of the trees in the state have been lost due to deforestation, contributing to rising temperatures, Sokoto said.
Data from the government-run statistics agency show that local agriculture contributed 22% of Nigeria’s GDP in the second quarter of 2024, down from 25% in the previous quarter. While the trend has fluctuated in recent years, experts have said agricultural production still does not reflect growing government investment in the sector.
Household food imports, meanwhile, rose by 136% from 2023 to 2024, government statistics show.
The decreasing farm yields are being felt elsewhere in Nigeria, especially the south.
In Lagos, the price of several items grown in the north have nearly doubled in the last two years, partly due to decreasing supplies. A head of cabbage grown in the north is selling for 2,000 naira ($1.2), nearly double its price a year ago and more than five times the price in Sokoto.
Nigerian authorities acknowledge the problem. Many farmers who once harvested up to 10 tons are hardly able to get half that these days, agriculture minister Aliyu Abdullahi said earlier this year.
Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu and his government have touted agriculture as a means for economic prosperity. Shortly after he took office in May 2023, Tinubu’s government declared a food security state of emergency and announced plans to activate 500,000 hectares of farmland in Nigeria’s land banks, which are mostly in the north.
The land banks, however, are yet to be activated.
By Dyepkazah Shibayan, The Associated Press
A murky puddle is all that remains of a river near his 5-hectare farm and those of others in this community in arid Sokoto state. Because the 62-year-old Muazu can’t afford to dig a well to keep crops like millet and maize from withering, he might abandon farming.
“Before, with a small farm, you could get a lot,” he said.
Climate change is challenging agriculture in Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country. With long dry spells and extreme heat, water bodies are drying because the arid season is becoming longer than usual. The wet season, though it can dump excessive rain, is short.
It’s fresh pain in a country where the World Food Program says 31 million people already face food insecurity. Efforts to recover from one climate shock are overlapped by the next, said WFP spokesperson Chi Lael.
The challenges faced by farmers in the north, who account for most of what Nigeria eats, are affecting food prices and availability in the booming coastal south that’s home to the megacity of Lagos.
More than 80% of Nigeria’s farmers are smallholder farmers, who account for 90% of the country’s annual agricultural production. Some work their fields with little more than a piece of roughly carved wood and their bare hands.
Farmers are facing low yields because the government has failed to develop infrastructure like dams to help mitigate the effects of climate change, said Daniel Obiora, national president of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria.
There is little data available on the drying-up of smaller water bodies across the north. But farmers say the trend has been worsening.
In Adamawa state, water scarcity caused by higher temperatures and changing rain patterns has affected over 1,250 hectares (3,088 acres) of farmland, disrupting food supply and livelihoods, Nigeria’s National Emergency Management Agency said last year.
Over-extraction of water and deforestation are other factors contributing to northern Nigeria’s drying rivers, according to Abdulsamad Isah, co-founder of local Extension Africa nonprofit that often works with farmers.
Elsewhere in Sokoto state, Nasiru Bello tilled his farm to cultivate onions without assurance of a meaningful harvest. With nearby rivers and wells drying up, he has resorted to pumping groundwater for the farm that provides the sole income for his family of 26. But the cost of pumping amid soaring gas prices has become unbearable.
“The plants do not grow well as it did,” he said.
Nigeria is forecast to become the world’s third most populous nation by 2025, alongside the United States and after India and China.
With Nigeria’s population expected to reach 400 million by 2050, the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization has been encouraging climate-smart agriculture to help ensure food security, including drip irrigation, which delivers water slowly and directly to roots and helps conserve water, instead of traditional irrigation systems that flood entire fields.
“There should be more orientation for farmers about climate change,” said Yusuf Isah Sokoto, director of the College of Environmental Science at Sokoto’s Umaru Ali Shinkafi Polytechnic.
At least two-thirds of the trees in the state have been lost due to deforestation, contributing to rising temperatures, Sokoto said.
Data from the government-run statistics agency show that local agriculture contributed 22% of Nigeria’s GDP in the second quarter of 2024, down from 25% in the previous quarter. While the trend has fluctuated in recent years, experts have said agricultural production still does not reflect growing government investment in the sector.
Household food imports, meanwhile, rose by 136% from 2023 to 2024, government statistics show.
The decreasing farm yields are being felt elsewhere in Nigeria, especially the south.
In Lagos, the price of several items grown in the north have nearly doubled in the last two years, partly due to decreasing supplies. A head of cabbage grown in the north is selling for 2,000 naira ($1.2), nearly double its price a year ago and more than five times the price in Sokoto.
Nigerian authorities acknowledge the problem. Many farmers who once harvested up to 10 tons are hardly able to get half that these days, agriculture minister Aliyu Abdullahi said earlier this year.
Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu and his government have touted agriculture as a means for economic prosperity. Shortly after he took office in May 2023, Tinubu’s government declared a food security state of emergency and announced plans to activate 500,000 hectares of farmland in Nigeria’s land banks, which are mostly in the north.
The land banks, however, are yet to be activated.
By Dyepkazah Shibayan, The Associated Press
Monday, May 5, 2025
Video - Nigeria’s Berom people celebrate the start of the farming season
The Berom tribe in Nigeria’s Plateau State celebrated Nzem Berom, a festival marking the start of the crop farming season in the country. Organisers say the day is marked to salute the resilience of the local community in farming their land despite the difficulties they sometimes face growing crops, among other things.
Monday, January 20, 2025
Video - Digital soil mapping technique helps Nigeria’s farmers
Many small scale farmers in West Africa and the Sahel region have been struggling with low yields for years due to the poor soil quality on their farms or growing crops in unsuitable areas. However in Nigeria, farmers are now benefiting from digital soil mapping that's helping them maximize harvests and identify best areas to grow different crops.
Thursday, November 14, 2024
Nigeria acquires $134 million loan for farming investment
Nigeria has secured a loan of $134 million (€127 million) to invest in farming, Agriculture Minister Abubakar Kyari announced on Thursday.
President Bola Tinubu's government has previously said that boosting food security is a goal of his administration.
What did the government say about the plan?
Kyari said in a post on social media that the plan aimed "to boost productivity in key staple crops, including wheat, rice, and maize, for both dry and wet season farming."
He said that Nigeria's federal government planned to "provide subsidized agricultural inputs to 250,000 wheat farmers and 150,000 rice farmers this season" as part of its agricultural support program.
The minister said the government would "establish a minimum guarantee price for crops, helping to stabilize farmers' incomes and reduce reliance on imports."
The $134 million loan was secured from the African Development Bank.
Nigeria faces food crisis
Around 25 million Nigerians face "acute food insecurity," according to figures from the Cadre Harmonise — a tool for assessing food security. This number is expected to rise to 33 million in 2025.
The report cited the economic effects of the continuous devaluation of the Nigerian currency, the naira, against the dollar and Tinubu's decision last year to abolish a fuel subsidy that had been in place for decades. In June of this year, annual food-price inflation was recorded at 40.9%.
Northern Nigeria has become increasingly arid due to climate change and deforestation while violence and desertification have sparked conflicts between farming communities and nomadic herdsmen.
Last month, 1.6 million hectares of farmland were destroyed in central Nigeria by torrential rains.Western and central African countries were also hit by flooding in September.
Friday, September 27, 2024
Nigeria ranks first in cassava production, yet imports
Although Nigeria is ranked number one in cassava production globally, she imported about $54, 200 in cassava in 2022, becoming the 121st largest importer of cassava in the world.
This was disclosed at the Ist National Conference of Industrial Cassava Stakeholders Association of Nigeria (ICSAN) titled “The Golden Crop: Harnessing the Economic Potential of Cassava for National Development through Industrialization,” which held at Ikeja, Lagos.
Delivering a keynote address at the conference on the theme, Prof. Lateef Oladimeji Sanni, President, International Society for Tropical Root Crops, International Institute of Tropical Agriculture and Executive Director, Nigerian Stored Products Research Institute, Ilorin and Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, also said Nigeria exported $733, 000 in cassava in the same year, making it the 61st largest exporter of cassava in the world.
After the President of ICSAN, Mr. Segun Ladele, gave the opening address, Prof Oladimeji further gave an insight into the cassava industry and its significance to Nigeria’s economy.
He defined industrialization as “the mass production of goods in a factory system, which involves some degree of mechanized production technology,” saying industrialisation enables the business environment, promotes private sector leadership, facilitates renewal for sunset industries, and encourages innovators.
According to Oladimeji, as at 2022, cassava was the 1063rd most imported product in Nigeria.
“Nigeria,” he said, “imports cassava primarily from United Kingdom ($49.2k), Brazil ($2.68k), Cameroon (1.91k), Niger ($321), and Belgium ($33).
He said Egypt is the only African country ranked among the world’s top ten highest exporters of cassava, with an export value of $81.8 million with less than 1% share (0.94%) of the total producers and export value of cassava in Africa and globally.
Apart from garri, lafun, fufu, etc., cassava products have a wide range of value chain such as in the making of bread, cake, candies, ice cream, beverages, fuel ethanol, animal feeds, furniture, paper and wood. All these lead to job creation, food security and incomes for farmers.
He identified some of the challenges facing cassava production in Nigeria as government inconsistent policy, increase in foreign exchange in the course of the project implementation, destruction of cassava farmland by cattle herdsmen, insecurity and communal clashes, lack of infrastructural facilities, little access to credit facilities, and lack of enough partnership and collaboration.
He proposed packaging differentiation, product diversification, regional standards and quality control, appropriate processing equipment, viable regulatory system, capacity building, and marketing channels as the way forward for the cassava industry in Nigeria.
He also prescribed that “government MUST be the catalyst, enabler and regulator of the cassava industry. There is the need for key players to ensure that private-led actions geared towards sustaining the development of cassava-based industries are initiated and advocated. There should be fair public incentives and funding within the geopolitical zone of the federation,” he said.
By Osa Mbonu-Amadi, Vanguard
Monday, September 23, 2024
Video - Nigerian farmers working to prevent the extinction of Indigenous varieties
In local vegetable markets across the country, many traditional vegetables are gradually disappearing. However, one farmer, Emmanuel Thomas is on a mission to collect and cultivate rare species of traditional Nigerian and African vegetables.
Tuesday, September 17, 2024
Video - Nigerian farming community loses crop due to toxic emissions from oil refinery
Environmental regulators linked the issues to a hydrogen chloride leak at a refinery in Kaduna State. They added it could take between 5 to 10 years to reverse the effects of the acid released into the soil.
Monday, July 1, 2024
Video - Tomato industry in disarray in Nigeria over attack by Tuta absoluta moth pest
The attacks by the pest have resulted in a tomato shortage, hitting markets very hard. Traders are also straining to maintain their regular output, while consumers are struggling to find alternatives.
Wednesday, June 19, 2024
Nigeria Spends $600m Importing Palm Oil Annually
Alphonsus Inyang, the national president of the association, stated this in an interview with NAN yesterday in Abuja. He described the expenses as unhealthy for national development.
Inyang said the money could be saved and injected into the economy if the palm oil sub-sector was given due attention by successive governments.
The president regretted that Nigeria, which was self-sufficient in palm oil production in the past, now spends a huge amount to import the same product.
Inyang recalled that in the 60s, Nigeria was number one in palm oil production and exportation globally, controlling over 60 per cent of world palm oil.
He said that the reverse was the case at the moment as over 50 percent of what we consume is imported.
“At the moment, the country occupies the fifth position in the league of palm oil-producing countries after Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Colombia.
“Nigeria may even lose the position to smaller countries who are investing heavily in the sector.
“Indonesia occupies the first position, producing 50 million metric tons, Malaysia second with 19 million metric tons, Thailand 3.28 million and Colombia 1.9 million metric tonnes,” he said.
The president attributed the challenge to the neglect of the sector by successive governments.
Inyang said that based on the U.S. The Department of Agriculture, Nigeria currently occupies fifth position in the league of palm oil-producing countries with 1.5 percent or 1.4 million metric tonnes of the world’s total output.
“Nigeria was overthrown as the world’s largest palm oil producer and exporter by Malaysia and Indonesia in 1966.
“Currently, Nigeria is the largest consumer of the product in the continent, consuming approximately three million metric tons yearly.
“Domestic production stands at less than 1.4 million metric tons, leaving a deficit of over 1.6 million metric tonnes,’’ he said.
Inyang specifically called on the federal ministry of agriculture and food security, to support NPPAN members with seedlings to develop 250,000 hectares per year.
“Our members can plant up to 250,000 hectares per year through the association’s National Oil Palm Strategy Development Plan; all we want are inputs.
“The government does not need to give and develop land for us, we need seedlings, fertilisers, logistics and implements to close this gap within four years.
“We will also create new millionaires in 28 states of the federation,” he said.
Related story: Video - Nigerian palm farmers eye lucrative opportunities in domestic market
Monday, March 25, 2024
Video - Soaring fuel prices in Nigeria threaten agricultural prosperity
One dry-season farmer says his crops are withering away because of soaring fuel prices. He and other farmers need gasoline to fuel their irrigation systems. But fuel costs have tripled since the removal of a fuel subsidy. Farm productivity is down as a result.
Related stories: Video - Impact of rising food prices in Nigeria on Ramadan
Video - Nigeria secures $134 million to tackle food crisis
Video - Rising Food Prices spark protests and smuggling in Nigeria
Thursday, February 15, 2024
Video - Nigerian palm farmers eye lucrative opportunities in domestic market
While Nigeria consumes nearly three million metric tonnes of palm oil annually, domestic output is only around 1.3 million metric tonnes, with a considerable portion being imported. Recognizing the immense potential, Nigerian palm farmers believe that with proper support, the sector could significantly contribute to the country's earnings.
Related stories: Video - Nigeria eyes $2 billion annual revenue boost from a surging coffee demand
Nigeria to remove ‘political farmers’ from database
The federal government, on Wednesday, announced that it is making efforts to modify farmers’ databases to get rid of “political farmers” as it plans to kick off the second phase of dry season farming.
The Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Abubakar Kyari, disclosed this in a maiden press briefing organised by the Minister of Information and National Orientation to regain public confidence.
According to him, only genuine farmers will benefit from government-subsidised interventions.
PREMIUM TIMES reported that the Bola Tinubu administration earlier announced that a lot of agricultural policies meant for farmers were enjoyed by ‘political farmers’: persons linked to politicians but who were not real farmers.
Last year, the ministry launched the first phase of dry season farming under the National Agricultural Growth Scheme Agro-Pocket (NAGS-AP) project. The first phase focused on 15 wheat-growing states.
I50,000 hectares of rice to be cultivated in second phase
Mr Kyari said following a key evaluation of the first phase of dry season farming, measures have been taken to ensure the success of the subsequent phase.
He said 150,000 hectares of rice would be cultivated during the second phase, noting that 300,000 genuine farmers are targeted for this. The farmers, he said, would benefit from the government’s subsidised interventions such as fertilisers, herbicides and micronutrients among others.
According to him, the farmers would get three bags of these agro-inputs for free after purchasing half bags.
In addition, he said, 30,000 hectares of maize would be cultivated across the 36 states of the federation. The minister expressed optimism, noting that some state governors have shown interest in the scheme.
Mr Kyari also clarified that 42,000 metric tonnes of grains earmarked for distribution to vulnerable households would be at no cost.
“The 42,000 metric tonnes of food from the national food reserves is free,” he clarified. “We’re trying to crash down the prices of food and make it available.”
“So these 42,000 metric tonnes of food will be given to the needy free of charge. It would go directly to the needy at no cost at all.
“We’ve met with the DSS and NEMA to give us the index. This is to gather intelligence on where it is needed the most, and we are going to look at those indices,” Mr Kyari added.
Idris unveils five-pillar agenda to regain public confidence
In his remarks, the information minister, Muhammed Idris, said his ministry has developed a five-pillar agenda in line with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope vision.
Mr Idris said the agenda is targeted at restoring trust, amplifying policies and programmes, reorienting national values, modernizing technology and talent, and creating an enabling environment for the media.
“The Ministerial Press Briefing Series (MPBS) that we are kicking off today, are in line with our ‘Restore Trust’ and ‘Amplify Policies and Programmes’ pillars. This is a chance for you, the distinguished members of the press, to engage with senior officials of the federal government, on behalf of the good people of Nigeria,” the minister told journalists.
“You will hear first-hand about what the federal government is doing, policies, programmes, targets and objectives, and you will be able to ask questions and receive relevant clarifications. We have also made efforts to ensure that this Briefing Series receives the widest possible coverage, through traditional and digital platforms,” the minister explained.
Mr Idris said the ministry is “determined to restore trust, confidence and credibility to public communications, by engaging in a timely, proactive and consistent fashion with all our stakeholders, across government, the media, private sector and international community, deploying all available platforms and media.”
He noted that the press briefing will subsequently feature other ministers who will be brought before the press to highlight the government’s efforts in stabilising the country.
ByYakubu Mohammed, Premium Times
Related story: Video - Cocoa grown illegally in rainforest in Nigeria heads to companies that supply major chocolate makers
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