FG to launch agribusiness policy to curb food inflation, boost yields
BY TUNDE OPALNA
The Federal Government is set to inaugurate the National Agribusiness Policy Mechanism (NAPM) in a bid to enhance agricultural productivity and stabilise food prices across Nigeria.
Vice-President Kashim Shettima made the announcement during a meeting of the Presidential Food Systems Coordinating Unit Steering Committee at the Presidential Villa, where he stressed the need to align national agricultural strategies using real-time data and a coordinated approach across all tiers of government.
Shettima described the move as timely, especially with the Green Imperative Project gaining traction after years of planning. He emphasised the importance of state-level commitment in driving the initiative and recalled President Bola Tinubu’s recent approval of N15 billion for flood preparedness under the National Emergency Management Agency—one of the government’s early proactive steps to protect food systems during the rainy season.
Marion Moon, Technical Assistant to the President on Agriculture and Executive Secretary of the PFSCU, explained that NAPM aims to tackle pressing challenges in the sector, including food inflation and agricultural yields that lag 60 per cent behind global standards. She said a pilot survey had already been conducted across 13 states ahead of a full-scale rollout in June 2025.
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The NAPM initiative is backed by the Green Imperative Project, a $1.1 billion Nigeria-Brazil partnership signed in March 2025 to modernise over 700 mid-sized farms with Brazilian technology. The project is designed to drive job creation, increase output, and overhaul Nigeria’s food systems.
Digital innovation is also central to the plan, with a digital platform under development to support data-driven decision-making, address inefficient subsidy practices, and promote sustainable rural growth. According to Moon, the new framework will streamline public spending and target interventions more effectively.
Jigawa State Governor Umar Namadi expressed support for the programme, highlighting its potential to address long-standing issues affecting food security. He underscored the Green Imperative Project as a key driver of agricultural transformation once fully implemented.
