Nigeria’s agricultural sector is directly significant to the country’s economic diversification agenda. Yet, despite its vast arable land and human resources, food production is constrained by insecurity, poor infrastructure, and limited access to modern technology.
As a result, the Federal Government has called on the Armed Forces to contribute directly to food security initiatives, leading to the Nigerian Navy launching Admiralty Integrated Farms Limited (ADIFAL) in June 2025.
Conceived as a specialised subsidiary of Navy Holdings Limited, ADIFAL aims to combine national security capabilities with agricultural innovation.
Its mandate goes beyond primary production; it seeks to secure farmlands, integrate precision agriculture tools such as artificial intelligence and satellite imaging, and promote sustainable agribusiness models that can strengthen Nigeria’s food system.
By combining defence infrastructure with modern farming practices, ADIFAL represents a novel approach to agricultural policy and practice in Nigeria. It symbolises a practical response to food security challenges and a strategic attempt to reposition agriculture as a national security priority.
For decades, Nigeria has struggled to meet its food demand. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), over 25 million people in Nigeria faced acute food insecurity in 2023.
Despite producing nearly 9 million tonnes of rice annually, Nigeria still imports about 43% of its rice needs. Staple crops such as maize, sorghum, and millet also fail to meet demand, while livestock markets remain heavily reliant on smallholder farmers in insecure northern regions.
At the same time, insecurity has worsened. Armed banditry, farmer-herder conflicts, and insurgency have displaced thousands of farming households. In states such as Borno, Zamfara, Benue, and Niger, entire farming communities have been cut off from their farmlands.
Considering the situation, the Nigerian Armed Forces have emerged as unlikely yet capable actors in agricultural revival, leveraging their logistical capacity, land holdings, and security networks.
ADIFAL was conceived as part of this push: to protect food production, leverage military infrastructure for farming, and demonstrate how security institutions can contribute directly to economic resilience.
ADIFAL operates under Navy Holdings Limited, the commercial arm of the Nigerian Navy responsible for non-core defence businesses. Unlike conventional agricultural companies, ADIFAL’s unique features include:
ADIFAL is not the first attempt at food security in Nigeria. Previous initiatives include:
What distinguishes ADIFAL is its security dimension. Unlike prior policies, ADIFAL leverages the authority and infrastructure of the Armed Forces to secure production and ensure continuity in fragile regions.
Globally, the concept of “defence-led agriculture” is not unprecedented. For example, in Israel, military-linked kibbutzim played key roles in food security during periods of national conflict.
Similarly, the military runs large agribusiness enterprises in Egypt, supplying domestic markets and exports. Nigeria’s ADIFAL mirrors such models, though it is adapted to local realities.
With secured farmlands and modern technology, ADIFAL could boost the production of staples such as rice, maize, and sorghum.
By engaging ex-servicemen, youth corps members, and local communities, ADIFAL may create employment opportunities while transferring skills in modern agronomy and agribusiness.
Farming in secure zones can reduce displacement, resettle rural communities, and provide alternative livelihoods in conflict-hosted states.
With proper processing and quality control, ADIFAL could support Nigeria’s ambition to compete in global agricultural markets.
If successful, ADIFAL may serve as a model for Army and Air Force equivalents, as well as for state governments seeking innovative approaches to food production.
Although promising, ADIFAL faces critical hurdles such as:
Military-owned businesses in Nigeria have often been criticised for opacity. Without strict oversight, ADIFAL risks becoming inefficient or politicised.
There is a delicate balance between leveraging military resources and stifling private agribusiness competition. ADIFAL must operate under clear rules to avoid distorting markets.
Large-scale mechanisation and technological integration require significant capital. If government subsidies dry up, ADIFAL may struggle without viable Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs).
Expanding military roles into economic sectors can raise concerns about the militarisation of development. Careful legal frameworks must delineate ADIFAL’s commercial scope from core defence duties.
Large mechanised farms, if poorly managed, could disrupt ecosystems or displace smallholders. Community engagement will be essential to mitigate conflicts.
For ADIFAL to thrive, several legal and policy considerations must be addressed:
The success of ADIFAL depends on its ability to avoid the pitfalls of past agricultural interventions. Programmes like Operation Feed the Nation and the Green Revolution often failed due to poor coordination, corruption, and lack of continuity.
ADIFAL has an advantage in security integration and modern technology; however, its governance framework and partnerships will ultimately determine its sustainability.
If implemented transparently, ADIFAL could become a flagship model for linking agriculture with national security in Africa. It could demonstrate how defence institutions can be development partners, not just protectors of sovereignty.
ADIFAL is an ambitious experiment at the intersection of agriculture, security, and economic policy. It reflects Nigeria’s recognition that food security is inseparable from national security. Its potential benefits, from stabilising rural communities to boosting exports, are significant. Yet the risks of governance failures, market distortions, and over-militarisation are equally real.
Its success will rest on robust governance frameworks, transparent partnerships, and sustained political will. For agricultural enthusiasts, researchers, and policymakers, ADIFAL offers both a blueprint and a benchmark for how Nigeria might reimagine food security in the face of twenty-first-century challenges.
ADIFAL is a bold step, but the road to food security extends beyond a single initiative.
Read an analysis about the policy reforms needed to achieve food security in Nigeria
