Lawmakers challenged the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security over the clarity and accountability of its 2026 budget proposal during a tense defence session.
The confrontation took place on Tuesday at a joint session of the Senate and House of Representatives Committees on Agricultural Production, Services and Rural Development, where the Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Sabi Abdullahi, presented the ministry’s spending plans for the coming year.
Awaji-Inombek Abiante, a member of the House of Representatives, openly challenged the substance of the ministry’s presentation, arguing that several programmes lacked clear descriptions and measurable outcomes.
He questioned whether the proposals complied with the federal character principle and whether lawmakers could realistically track how public funds would be spent across the agricultural value chain.
Broad budget terms such as “food security gross value chain development” and “manpower development strategies,” he said, offered little insight into how farmers, processors or rural communities would benefit.
Without specific locations, timelines or deliverables, Mr Abiante warned, accountability becomes impossible, particularly for projects meant to improve rural roads, markets and agricultural infrastructure.
As Mr Abiante attempted to expand on his concerns, the Chairman of the House Committee, Bello Ka’oje, sought to curtail his contribution, triggering a heated exchange that briefly disrupted proceedings.
The lawmaker insisted that scrutiny of agricultural spending was essential, warning that failure to demand transparency could undermine the entire budget process.
“As gatekeepers, if we fail to keep the gates, we collapse everything,” he said.
Responding to the concerns, Mr Abdullahi defended the ministry’s proposals, stating that the 2026 budget was shaped by the food security emergency declared by President Bola Tinubu in response to rising food inflation, supply chain disruptions and declining household access to food.
He stated that agriculture had been placed at the centre of national economic recovery, with interventions focused on expanding production, improving sustainability and strengthening farmer resilience.
However, he acknowledged that funding delays and rising input costs, particularly fertiliser, agro-chemicals and energy, continued to constrain farmers and slow programme delivery.
Mr Abdullahi disclosed that over 7,000 tractors nationwide had previously been under-utilised due to poor distribution systems, a challenge the government is seeking to address.
He mentioned that more than 2,000 new tractors had been approved and were currently being deployed, alongside plans to train young Nigerians in equipment operation, maintenance and repair, an initiative to boost youth employment and modernise farming practices.
The minister also highlighted efforts to promote urban agriculture, youth farmer clubs and improved access to high-yield crop varieties, while admitting that Nigeria’s agricultural productivity remains below potential.
Several lawmakers expressed concern over declining budgetary allocations to agriculture, warning that reduced funding could worsen food insecurity and rural unemployment.
Figures presented at the session showed that while total national expenditure is projected to rise in 2026, allocations to the agriculture ministry have dropped significantly compared to the previous year.
Committee leaders stressed that agriculture remains central to food security, job creation and national stability, pledging to work with the ministry to deliver a more transparent, evidence-based budget that translates into tangible benefits for farmers and rural communities.
Source: Premium Times
Image Credit: FMINO
