Experts have warned that, despite having vast arable land and abundant water resources, Nigeria still relies almost entirely on seasonal rain-fed agriculture, leaving the country vulnerable to climate shocks and worsening food insecurity.
From recurrent flooding in the North to prolonged dry spells in the South, erratic weather has exposed the fragility of Nigeria’s food system.
Analysts say reversing decades of neglect will require targeted investment in irrigation, mechanisation, and rural connectivity.
Without it, farmers remain powerless against the effects of climate change.
Adebowale Onafowora, Founder and MD of BIC Farms Concepts, said Nigeria uses less than 10 per cent of its irrigation potential.
“We remain overly dependent on seasonal rain-fed agriculture, making us acutely vulnerable to climate shocks,” he said.
He traced the decline to the 1970s, when crude oil discoveries shifted national focus away from agriculture.
Experts argue that failed policies like Operation Feed the Nation and the Green Revolution were underfunded, inconsistent, and lacked continuity.
Onafowora added that the country continues to export raw commodities while importing processed foods at high cost, with up to 40 per cent of produce lost post-harvest due to poor cold-chain logistics and inadequate agro-processing capacity.
Yinka Adesola, a stakeholder in the shea industry, highlighted high tariffs on farm machinery and inputs as another policy failure.
“This makes food production expensive, while we import subsidised food from other countries. Subsidising modern machinery could make Nigerian farmers cost-competitive,” she said.
Dr Abiodun Onalaja, CEO of Hyst Global Business Ltd, noted persistent gaps in land tenure, policy continuity, and agro-processing and export infrastructure, discouraging long-term investment.
Oba Dokun Thompson, Oloni of Eti-Oni in Osun State and founder of the International Cocoa Diplomacy (ICD), added that the sector suffers from weak national vision and poor institutional coordination.
“Agriculture is still treated as a pastime rather than a serious business. Policies must make it attractive for the next generation if we want real transformation,” he said.
Experts agree that Nigeria has the potential to rival oil as a major foreign exchange earner, but achieving this requires deliberate investment, policy stability, and a shift in perception to treat agriculture as a profitable, business-driven sector.
