Nigeria's Agriculture Sector Grows 4.39% in Q2 2026 Amid Policy Reforms

Key summary

The Nigerian government reports a 4.39% growth in its agriculture sector for the second quarter of 2026, driven by continuous reforms and investments. Deputy Minister Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi highlighted that crop production expanded by 3.66%, marking a return to strong growth since 2021 under President Bola Tinubu's 'Renewed Hope Agenda'. Key initiatives include the National Agricultural Growth Scheme and Agro-Pocket (NAGS-AP), which produced 2.5 million metric tons of staple foods over four seasons, and the Renewed Hope Agricultural Mechanisation Programme, which deployed 2,000 tractors and equipment sets to reduce labor burdens and attract youth. Wheat production increased from a base of 120,000 metric tons to approximately 420,000 metric tons annually. The government is also implementing measures such as the National Soil Health and Fertility Programme, promoting biofortified crops, and establishing Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones (SAPZs) to reduce post-harvest losses from 40% to below 20%. Additionally, customs duties on rice imports were adjusted effective April 1, 2026: bulk or packaged rice (>5kg) duty reduced from 70% to 47.5%, broken rice from 70% to 30%, and agricultural machinery import duty eliminated (from 5% to 0%). The National Council on Cooperative Affairs approved the 'Renewed Hope Cooperative Reform and Revamp Programme 2030' in March 2026 with seven operational frameworks. Security measures include deploying additional personnel from the military, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, and Agro-Rangers to protect food production areas in the north.