Often hailed as the “Giant of Africa,” Nigeria is grappling with a severe youth unemployment crisis. According to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), over 40% of the country’s youth are unemployed or underemployed.
This alarming figure contributes to widespread poverty, increased rural-to-urban migration, and rising social instability. While growing sectors like technology and services offer some opportunities, they cannot absorb the millions of young people entering the workforce yearly.
In contrast, agriculture, already employing over 35% of Nigeria’s workforce, offers scalable potential to address unemployment and food insecurity. Nigerian farming contributes around 25% to Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), making it a cornerstone of the economy. However, the Nigerian farming population is aging, and young people are often deterred by the sector’s outdated image and labour-intensive nature.
To reverse this trend, farming in Nigeria must be modernised through technology, innovative practices, and robust policy support. The benefits of youth engagement in agriculture go beyond job creation. They include entrepreneurship, food security, and community-driven development.
At the 9th Constituency Stakeholders’ Meeting in October 2024, in Lagos, Hon. Obasa emphasised the need for a multi-pronged approach to Nigerian farming reform. Among the government’s notable efforts are youth training programmes, fish farm projects, and farmer partnerships designed to boost production and improve food sufficiency.
However, these initiatives must be expanded and strategically aligned to produce a lasting impact on the nature of Nigerian farming.
One of the most promising efforts in youth-centred agricultural financing is the National Agricultural Development Fund (NADF), which was established to close funding gaps in Nigerian farming. In 2024, the NADF announced that youth and women would be prioritised in its funding policies to address growing food insecurity and underutilisation of youth labour.
NADF collaborates with key institutions, including the Central Bank of Nigeria, the National Agricultural Insurance Corporation (NAIC), NIRSAL, the Bank of Agriculture (BoA), and the Federal Ministry of Agriculture.
Rather than providing direct loans, the fund channels resources through approved financial institutions, allowing wider reach and better risk management. NADF relies on a robust data management system developed with the NBS to ensure accountability and proper targeting. This helps verify recipients and ensures that funds reach genuine young Nigerian farmers.
Regarding risk mitigation, the NADF provides credit risk guarantees through NIRSAL and insurance coverage through NAIC. Furthermore, the fund can be used for emergency response during such crises as crop disease outbreaks or climate-related disasters.
Training is a vital element of attracting youth to Nigerian farming. Many young Nigerians lack the technical know-how needed for modern agriculture. Government and private sector programmes focusing on agribusiness skills, financial literacy, and technology integration are essential. These initiatives should emphasise hands-on learning, mentorship, and market-driven strategies.
One promising area is agri-tech, which combines agriculture with modern technology. This fusion enhances productivity and aligns with the interests of tech-savvy youth. Some notable agri-tech innovations include:
By leveraging these innovations, young entrepreneurs can be motivated to develop profitable agribusiness ventures in the Nigerian farming system, ranging from food processing and storage to logistics and data analytics.
Nigerian farming is no longer limited to tilling the soil. With proper incentives and training, youth Nigerian farmers can explore diverse roles such as:
Despite the potential, multiple barriers discourage youth from venturing into the Nigerian farming sector:
1. Negative Perceptions: Many youths see farming in Nigeria as laborious, low-status, and financially unrewarding.
2. Limited Access to Finance: High-interest rates, lack of collateral, and low financial literacy hinder access to credit.
3. Infrastructure Deficits: Poor roads, inadequate storage, and limited market access reduce profitability in Nigerian farming.
4. Climate Vulnerability: Erratic weather patterns and environmental degradation deter long-term investment.
5. Land Access Challenges: Traditional land tenure systems often exclude youth, especially women, from owning or leasing land.
6. Gender Disparities: Cultural norms and institutional biases in the Nigerian farming system restrict young women’s participation, limiting their financial empowerment and decision-making.
7. Social Pressures: Parental and societal expectations sometimes push youth away from farming, favouring urban or white-collar jobs.
8. Inadequate Support Services: Lack of accessible agricultural extension services and up-to-date information reduces efficiency.
9. Skill Gaps: Many youth lack exposure to modern farming techniques, business planning, and market linkage opportunities beneficial to the Nigerian farming sector.
To reverse the decline in youth participation in Nigerian farming, policymakers and stakeholders must act decisively:
1. Introduce Youth-Friendly Finance Products: Create loan schemes with low-interest rates, flexible repayment, and minimal collateral.
2. Land Reforms: Encourage state governments to allocate land to youth cooperatives or agribusiness clusters.
3. Expand Technical Education: Establish more vocational and agri-tech training centres with modern facilities that support farming in Nigeria.
4. Promote Inclusive Policies: Ensure women and marginalised youth have equal access to land, funding, and training to ease their involvement in the Nigerian farming sector.
5. Strengthen Extension Services: Deploy trained youth as agricultural extension agents to bridge knowledge gaps.
6. Use Digital Platforms: Support the development of mobile tools that offer market information, climate alerts, and supply chain management.
If these efforts are sustained and properly implemented, Nigeria can harness the potential of its young population to drive a robust Nigerian farming transformation. The future of Nigerian farming lies not just in policy but in the participation of the innovation, skills, and empowerment of the next generation to feed the nation.
