FG unveils new incentives to boost food production
The federal government has announced fresh incentives to drive agricultural investment under the Renewed Hope Agenda, aimed at unlocking Nigeria’s food production potential. Vice President Kashim Shettima disclosed this in Abuja on Tuesday during the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) National and Subregional Hand-in-Hand Investment Forum. He described hunger as a global security threat, stressing […]
The federal government has announced fresh incentives to drive agricultural investment under the Renewed Hope Agenda, aimed at unlocking Nigeria’s food production potential.
Vice President Kashim Shettima disclosed this in Abuja on Tuesday during the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) National and Subregional Hand-in-Hand Investment Forum.
He described hunger as a global security threat, stressing that Nigeria must mobilise its strengths to secure a future of abundance.
“Nothing unifies humanity as much as hunger. It is the great equaliser that reveals our vulnerabilities and the shared fragility of our existence. Food is not merely a matter of survival; it is a matter of global security,” he said.
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Shettima outlined key reforms, including single-window platforms for land registration, stronger agricultural credit systems, expanded irrigation, and scaled-up mechanisation.
He described irrigation as a “game-changer,” noting that while Nigeria has river basins and aquifers capable of irrigating over three million hectares, less than 10 per cent is currently utilised.
Strategic investments, he said, could triple yields, reduce seasonal dependency, and build resilience against climate shocks.
He assured investors that Nigeria’s policies are being redesigned to attract capital through regulatory reforms, public-private partnerships, and agri-tech innovations.
“Nigeria is open for business, and we are ready to partner with you. Together, we can build a nation where no one goes to bed hungry and where rural communities become hubs of wealth creation,” he added.
Earlier, Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari, presented Nigeria’s investment profile, highlighting opportunities across the agribusiness value chain driven by a vast domestic market, large arable land, favourable climate, and a growing digital economy.
Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Senator Atiku Bagudu, also said agriculture and irrigation hold untapped potential for diversifying Nigeria’s economy and driving long-term growth under the Renewed Hope Agenda.
Commending Nigeria’s agricultural strides, particularly in rice and cassava production, The Gambia’s Minister of Agriculture, Livestock and Food Security, Dr Demba Sabally, urged other African nations to emulate Nigeria’s example.
FAO’s representative in Nigeria and ECOWAS, Dr Hussein Gadain, said the Hand-in-Hand Initiative is an evidence-based, country-led programme designed to accelerate agricultural transformation, eradicate poverty, end hunger, and reduce inequalities in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).