The Federal Government has announced a new package of incentives to boost agricultural investment, food security, and job creation under President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
Vice President Kashim Shettima disclosed this on Tuesday in Abuja at the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) National and Sub-regional Hand-in-Hand Investment Forum. He stressed that agriculture remains central to Nigeria’s economic transformation and global security.
“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,” Shettima said.
According to Shettima’s media aide, Stanley Nkwocha, the government is rolling out policies to unlock Nigeria’s vast food production potential.
The measures include Single-window platforms for land registration, Strengthened agricultural credit systems, Large-scale mechanisation, Strategic irrigation projects.
Shettima revealed that Nigeria can irrigate more than three million hectares of farmland, yet uses less than 10 per cent.
“Strategic investment in irrigation alone could triple yields, free us from seasonal dependency, and fortify our resilience against climate shocks,” he stated.
The new blueprint under the 2021–2025 National Development Plan targets lifting 35 million Nigerians out of poverty and creating 21 million jobs in rural communities through agriculture and agribusiness.
Unlike previous reforms that focused mainly on subsidies, the Tinubu administration is repositioning irrigation and mechanisation.
The government plans to make Nigeria less dependent on rainfall farming, increase yields, and attract investors into climate-resilient agribusiness.
Shettima assured both local and foreign investors that regulatory reforms, agri-tech innovations, and public-private partnerships would make Nigeria “open for business.”
“Nigeria is open for business, and we are ready to partner with you. Let us work hand-in-hand to build a sub-region where no one goes to bed hungry, and where agriculture is the true foundation of our prosperity,” he added.
Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Abubakar Kyari, reinforced this by highlighting Nigeria’s large arable land, favourable weather, and growing digital economy as unique entry points for agribusiness.
Also, Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Senator Atiku Bagudu, described agriculture and irrigation as pivotal for diversifying Nigeria’s economy and achieving sustainable transformation.
Source: Channels
Image Credit: FCRN HQ
