Vice President Kashim Shettima’s declaration at the World Economic Forum in Davos was striking, yet the real question for Nigerians is whether this reframing will tangibly transform lives, stabilise markets, and reverse deepening hunger at home.
Development Diaries reports that the vice president, while addressing world leaders, declared that Nigeria now views food security as a macroeconomic, security, and governance priority.
In his words, ‘In Nigeria, we don’t look at food security purely as an agricultural issue. It is a macroeconomic, security and governance issue. Our focus is to use food security as a pillar for national security, regional cohesion and stability’.
Nigeria’s economic reality explains why this shift in mindset is urgent, as the country continues to spend heavily on imported food staples, reportedly more than ten billion dollars annually on food imports, including wheat, rice, sugar and others, despite vast arable land and a large agricultural workforce.
Food import values have surged in recent years. In early 2025, agricultural imports reached N2.22 trillion, reflecting persistent dependence on foreign produce even as food prices remain high.
According to the Nigeria Bureau of Statistics (NBS), food imports accounted for around 10.7 percent of total imports in 2023, a significant share that ties domestic food costs to global markets and exchange rate volatility.
Meanwhile, inflation, driven in large part by food prices, has battered households, with food inflation reported to be near 40 percent by late 2024, a sharp jump from previous years, pushing millions deeper into insecurity.
The human toll is stark because, according to the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), around 35 million Nigerians faced acute food insecurity recently, the highest number in Africa, with conflict and aid cuts worsening the crisis.
The northeast, a region both agriculturally vital and security-challenged, faces particularly dire conditions, with recent reports suggesting that tens of thousands are at risk of catastrophic hunger, with broader projections hinting that by 2026, as many as 35 million people could face severe food insecurity in northern Nigeria alone.
Nigeria’s policy shift correctly identifies that security and food production are deeply linked. Conflict continues to disrupt farming in key regions like Borno, Katsina, Sokoto and Zamfara states, reducing agricultural output, restricting access to land, and eroding rural livelihoods.
The vice president explained that the government’s strategy to promote drought-resistant, flood-tolerant and early-maturing crops such as sorghum, millet, and rice is sound in principle, especially as Nigeria contends with diverse climatic challenges.
But policy remains only part of the answer. The practical question is whether smallholder farmers, who produce the bulk of Nigeria’s food, will actually access quality inputs, credit, insurance and markets.
The newly launched Back to the Farm Initiative, which seeks to resettle displaced farmers with inputs and capital, must be evaluated on inclusion and reach.
Many smallholders lack access to formal financial services and face barriers that large agribusinesses do not, such as limited collateral or market linkages.
Vice President Shettima’s call to deepen regional integration under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) aligns with broader African development goals. If realised, intra-African trade can help Nigeria diversify markets and reduce vulnerability to external disruptions.
Yet data suggests that intra-African trade remains limited, commonly cited at around ten to 11 percent of total African trade, meaning much work is needed to harmonise policies, improve transport, and ensure that farmers, not just traders, benefit from open markets.
Framing food security as a strategic pillar for governance and stability is a welcome policy evolution. But success will be measured in lived realities, such as affordable staple foods for households, returning displaced farmers to productive land, reduced dependence on imported staples, climate-resilient agricultural systems and expanded intra-African food trade benefiting smallholders.
Nigerians should demand public timelines and progress reports from the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, detailing how programmes such as the Back to the Farm Initiative and food security corridors are being implemented and who is benefiting.
We should insist that the Central Bank of Nigeria, the Bank of Agriculture and Nigeria Incentive-Based Risk Sharing System for Agricultural Lending (NIRSAL) publish transparent data on credit, insurance and input access for smallholder farmers, women and youth.
Nigerians must demand improved security for farming communities from the Office of the National Security Advisor, the Nigeria Police Force and state governments, particularly in conflict-affected food basket regions.
Citizens should also hold the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment accountable for reducing food import dependence by integrating local substitutes such as cassava, millet and sorghum into national value chains and public procurement.
Finally, Nigerians should demand that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the National Action Committee on AfCFTA ensure intra-African trade policies benefit local farmers through better transport, pricing, and reduced post-harvest losses.
Photo source: Kashim Shettima
