Nigeria has called for stronger regional coordination among West African countries to improve agricultural productivity, expand trade, and protect the environment, as ECOWAS leaders and development partners met in Abuja to align policies on food security, climate resilience and sustainable development.
The Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari, made the call at the opening of the ECOWAS Initiative on Economic Integration through Trade, Environment and Agriculture, a series of interlinked policy dialogues convened by the ECOWAS Commission.
The meeting brought together the Directorates of Trade, Environment and Agriculture, alongside ministers, technical experts and development partners from across the sub-region.
Kyari said the discussions were critical for shaping the policies and systems that will define West Africa’s economic future, noting that agriculture, trade and environmental management must be treated as one interconnected system.
“With agriculture driving regional trade and the environment sustaining our productivity, none of these sectors can function in isolation,” he said, urging ECOWAS member states to strengthen support for farmers, improve market integration and build resilience against climate-related threats such as land degradation and water scarcity.
He highlighted ongoing regional and continental efforts to promote predictable, rules-based trade under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and the ECOWAS Trade Liberalisation Scheme (ETLS), describing both frameworks as essential tools for expanding market access for agricultural goods.
The minister also reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) and ECOWAS’ agricultural blueprint, ECOWAP, which has guided regional agricultural development since 2005.
Both frameworks, he said, align with the African Union’s Agenda 2063 vision for food security and economic transformation.
As part of its national strategy, Nigeria has established an Agriculture Sector Working Group to coordinate development planning under the Post-Malabo CAADP commitments and in preparation for the upcoming Kampala Declaration (2026–2035).
The group brings together government agencies, researchers, private sector actors, farmer organisations, civil society and development partners to harmonise investment plans and strengthen accountability.
Reflecting on his personal history with the regional bloc, Kyari recalled serving on the Nigerian team that helped establish the ECOWAS Parliament 25 years ago, later becoming its first Questor.
He described Nigeria’s role in hosting the institution as a symbol of its long-standing commitment to regional integration.
He further outlined ongoing reforms under the National Agricultural Technology and Innovation Policy (NATIP), which integrates technology, farmer support, market efficiency and institutional reform under one framework.
As the policy approaches its midterm review, Nigeria is working to align it with emerging regional priorities.
Key technical discussions during the ECOWAS sessions are focused on fertiliser quality control, soil restoration and the creation of a regional fertiliser market strategy.
Kyari warned that fertiliser, while the most expensive farm input, is also the most impactful, adding that poor quality or high-priced fertiliser poses a direct threat to food production.
He disclosed that the Federal Government has recently launched the Nigerian Farmers’ Soil Health Scheme, which provides soil-specific nutrient guidance, improves fertiliser efficiency, and establishes a national soil-health data platform to support both domestic production and regional coordination.
Agriculture, he said, contributes more than 25 per cent of Nigeria’s GDP and remains the country’s largest employer. Strengthening the sector, therefore, has far-reaching implications for food resilience and economic stability across the West African region.
The Minister of Environment, Balarabe Lawal, also reiterated Nigeria’s commitment to supporting the ECOWAS Regional Action Plan on plastic waste management, describing poor disposal practices as a growing threat to food systems, climate resilience and public health.
According to Lawal, more than two million tonnes of plastic waste are generated annually across the ECOWAS region, with significant volumes ending up in waterways, drainage channels, oceans and open dumps.
He said the new regional action plan would provide a coordinated framework for sustainable production and consumption, extended producer responsibility, circular economy development, harmonised standards and green job creation.
Vice-President of the ECOWAS Commission, Mrs Damtien Tchintchibidja, cited the 2024 FAO State of Food Security Report, which indicates that 12 per cent of the West African population is food insecure due to climate change, market failures, trade restrictions and conflict.
She said ECOWAS is implementing strategic programmes to promote renewable energy, sustainable land use, improved soil health and expanded fertiliser access, in line with ECOWAS Vision 2050 and the African Union’s Agenda 2063.
“Agriculture remains the backbone of our economies, employing millions and ensuring food security,” she said.
“By investing in soil health and fertiliser access, we are laying the foundation for resilient agriculture that can feed our people and create jobs for our youth and women.”
Kyari concluded by emphasising that the success of West Africa’s agricultural transformation will depend on the active involvement of farmers, pastoralists, youth, women, private sector operators, researchers and civil society organisations.
“West Africa’s strength will be defined by the strength of its collaboration,” he said,
Source: FMAFS
