Today, if you ask the average Nigerian to name five agricultural interventions under the Tinubu administration, most would struggle to recall even two out of a legion. Not because the reforms are absent—they are abundant, strategic, and sweeping. But in a country where food prices dominate daily anxiety, policy nuance often feels like turanchi—a colloquial dismissal of anything that sounds like grammar when hunger is howling.
By mid-2023, when Tinubu assumed office, Nigerians were already gasping. The naira redesign policy of the previous administration had drained liquidity and disrupted livelihoods. Then came the fuel subsidy removal and currency float—necessary but brutal. Prices soared. Salaries stagnated or increased marginally. It was like a snail duelling with a cheetah for a sprint prize.
For some, life froze—and they froze with it. That is the category of those who threw up their hands in frustration and gave up everything.
For others, life froze—and they used anything they found useful in the reforms to thaw the ice and survive. That is the category of those who seized any opportunity they saw in the emerging realities,
Tinubu’s quieteven if it was the small parcel of arable land in their backyard, to stabilize or improve their lot.
Yet for some, life froze—and they used their ingenuity to build snowmobiles to thrive better than they were even before the reforms. That is the category of emerging millionaire farmers.
Tinubu didn’t deny the pain. He acknowledged it. He asked for time. And then, quietly but decisively, he went to work. What followed was not a flurry of announcements, but a cascade of interventions—mechanization, dry season farming, irrigation, input access, agricultural extension services, agro-processing zones, and state-level synergy. A revolution began, not with fanfare, but with tractors rolling into fields and wheat sprouting in dry soil.
This is the story of that revolution. Loud in impact. Muted in recognition. But destined to reshape Nigeria’s agricultural destiny.
A Blind Spot in Public Perception
Many who accuse the Tinubu government of doing “nothing” in agriculture have not bothered to educate themselves about the immense, ongoing reforms reshaping Nigeria’s food systems. The truth is simple: if you are not informed, you cannot inform. And in a country where skepticism is often louder than substance, the quiet revolution unfolding in the fields, irrigation clusters, logistics hubs, and agro-processing zones deserves far more attention than it gets.
From Rhetoric to Reform: The Federal Push
The Tinubu administration’s agricultural blueprint is not a patchwork of pilot projects—it is a full-spectrum intervention spanning crops, livestock, mechanization, and market systems. It is a coordinated, multi-tiered strategy designed to move Nigeria from subsistence to sovereignty. Here’s how:
Mechanization Revolution
– John Deere Partnership: Nigeria signed a multi-year MoU to deliver 2,000 tractors annually, with plans for a local assembly plant. This isn’t just about machines—it’s about modernizing land preparation and reducing drudgery for smallholders.
– Green Imperative with Brazil: A $1.1 billion deal will deliver 10,000 tractors and 50,000 implements, assembled in Nigeria. The initiative is expected to create 100,000 direct jobs and over 5 million indirect ones.
– Belarus Tractor Deployment: Earlier this year, the Federal Government distributed 2,000 Belarus tractors and 9,072 assorted implements nationwide, tailored for diverse terrains and farming needs.
– Niger State’s Mechanization Drive: The state ordered 1,000 John Deere tractors and distributed 300 tractors, alongside fertilizers, seeds, and implements, to farmers across its 25 LGAs. The initiative is valued at over ?34 billion.
Livestock Transformation: New Ministry, New Vision
– Federal Ministry of Livestock Development (FMLD): Established in July 2024, the ministry is spearheading the Nigeria Livestock Growth Acceleration Strategy (NLGAS 25), focused on ranch development, breed improvement, veterinary health, and conflict resolution between farmers and herders.
– Impact So Far:
– Mass vaccination campaigns and modern grazing reserves are targeted at reducing disease and conflict.
– Livestock productivity is rising, with improved feed systems and traceability protocols.
– Year two will focus on private investment in ranching, climate-resilient fodder, and export positioning.
Crop Expansion and Input Access
– Dry Season Farming: Over 500,000 hectares cultivated, including 118,000 hectares of wheat across 15 states. Wheat production surged by over 1,000%.
– Free Fertilizer Distribution: More than 2.1 million bags distributed—valued at ?100 billion—directly to smallholders.
– Farmer Biometric Registration: Targeting 6 million farmers by 2025 for transparent input delivery.
Irrigation and Infrastructure
– Irrigate Nigeria Project: Launched in Bauchi State in March 2025, the project is deploying solar-powered, automated irrigation systems across farming clusters. Backed by NASENI, RHIDF, and private investors, it aims to irrigate 1 million hectares and create 5 million jobs.
– Achievements So Far:
– Centralized irrigation systems installed in pilot zones.
– Farmers now farming year-round, with harvest-linked repayment models.
– Technical support, improved seeds, and market access integrated into the rollout.
– Rural Infrastructure Impact:
– Over 77 km of asphalt roads, 130 km of earthen roads, and 102 solar-powered boreholes constructed.
– Studies show rural electrification and road access significantly boost agricultural productivity and economic development.
Early Wins and Economic Signals
– Food Inflation Moderation: From a peak of 39% in mid-2024, food inflation dropped to 22.74% by August 2025.
– Staple Price Declines: Rice, maize, and tomato prices have begun to fall, reflecting improved supply chains and strategic grain releases.
– National Food Reserve: The Federal Government released 42,000 MT of grains from the Strategic Food Reserve free to households nationwide in 2024, helping stabilize prices and ease cost-of-living pressures. The government further arranged to buy 60,000 MT of rice from commercial millers for further distribution.
– Agriculture Budget Surge: From ?228.4bn in 2023 to ?826.5bn in 2025, plus ?100bn in dedicated smallholder financing.
– Agricultural Export Gains:
– Nigeria earned over $3.2 billion from non-oil exports in H1 2025, with cocoa, cashew, sesame, and soybean leading the charge.
– For the first time in decades, agriculture contributed meaningfully to net positive export earnings outside oil.
State-Level Synergy: Subnational Momentum
Across Nigeria, states are not waiting—they are innovating, investing, and aligning with federal momentum:
– Kaduna State: Distributed hundreds of tractors, tillers, irrigation pumps, and inputs under the Tallafin Noma initiative. Over 69,000 farmers supported, and the state now allocates over ?74 billion to agriculture.
– Niger State: Partnered with Lagos to supply food to urban centers under the Produce for Lagos initiative, while also investing heavily in mechanization and seed distribution.
– Oyo State: Governor Seyi Makinde revived the long-abandoned Fashola Farms, turning it into a hub for youth engagement and commercial agriculture.
– Lagos State: Built the largest food logistics hub in West Africa, located in Epe, to eliminate middlemen, reduce post-harvest losses, and stabilize prices. It also launched a ?500 billion Offtake Guarantee Fund to incentivize production and ensure market access.
Agro-Industrial Leap: The SAPZ Vision
One of the most transformative initiatives underway is the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones (SAPZ) program—a $538 million partnership between the Federal Government, the African Development Bank (AfDB), Islamic Development Bank, IFAD, and private sector leaders like ARISE Integrated Industrial Platforms.
– Scope: Phase 1 spans eight states—Kaduna, Kano, Kwara, Cross River, Imo, Ogun, Oyo, and the FCT—with hubs focused on crops like maize, soybeans, ginger, cocoa, cassava, and rice.
– Impact:
– Designed to reduce post-harvest losses, boost productivity by over 60%, and strengthen farm-to-market value chains.
– Each zone is projected to create over 60,000 jobs, transform rural misery into prosperity, and drastically reduce Nigeria’s $4.7 billion annual food import bill.
– SAPZs are not just infrastructure—they are ecosystems of innovation, aggregation, and export readiness.
Palm Oil Renaissance: Nigeria’s Red Gold Reawakens
Nigeria’s palm oil sector is undergoing a strategic revival led by federal, state, and private actors:
– Federal Push: President Tinubu has ordered the planting of 100 million oil palm trees—a move expected to add up to 2 million hectares of new cultivation.
– State Momentum: Cross River (360,000 ha), Akwa Ibom (290,000 ha), Rivers (200,000 ha), Delta (180,000 ha), and others already contribute over 1.3 million hectares collectively.
– Private Sector Surge: Raedial Farms is developing 100,000 hectares, expected to generate $1.5 billion in revenue and create 250,000+ jobs.
Impact in Focus
– Nigeria currently ranks 5th globally, contributing just 1.9% of global output—down from 43% in the 1960s.
– The country spends $500–$600 million annually on palm oil imports due to a 500,000 MT supply gap.
– With full implementation, Nigeria could produce 6–7 million MT annually by 2030, generate $7–9 billion in revenue, and create over 1.2 million jobs.
– This would eliminate import dependence and position Nigeria as Africa’s top producer, potentially rising to third globally.
Agriculture is not just about food—it’s about the architecture of human need. To understand the true ambition of Tinubu’s agronomic strategy, we must revisit Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy: a framework that begins with survival and ascends toward dignity, belonging, and self-actualization. What Nigeria is building is not just a food system—it’s a ladder out of poverty, exclusion, and despair.
Maslow Revisited: A Holistic Ladder
Tinubu’s agronomics isn’t just about food—it’s about dignity. It’s a ladder from survival to self-actualization:
– Food: Emergency interventions, dry season farming, fertilizer access
– Safety: Boreholes, solar lighting, farmland security
– Belonging: Youth and women clusters, cooperative models
– Self-Actualization: Agribusiness as career, export-driven livestock, and agro-processing zones
What’s In It for the People?
When will this touch the kitchen table? The answer is: it already has—modestly. Prices of staples are beginning to fall. Mechanization is reducing labor costs. Input access is improving yields. But the full impact will be cumulative.
And the bigger picture? Nigeria’s food import bill rose to ?1.59 trillion in Q1 2024—a five-year high. It increased further to ?1.67 trillion in Q1 2025, marking a 5% year-on-year rise. But with domestic production surging, that figure is projected to decline sharply by 2026. The billions of dollars Nigeria spent annually on food importation may soon become a thing of the past.
The Magnetism of Reform: Investment Is Showing Up
Investible funds are like magnets drawn perfunctorily to metal. Once the environment is enabling, and there is stability in a huge market, investors will show up. And showing up, they have.
In Jigawa State, a delegation of Chinese investors led by China Overseas Engineering Group announced a $700 million commitment to develop 70,000 hectares for large-scale farming in rice, maize, cassava, and livestock.
In Oyo State, a separate $500 million agribusiness deal is underway, focused on mechanized farming, livestock, and agro-processing—anchored by Governor Makinde’s infrastructure and policy reforms.
These are not just transactions—they are signals. Nigeria’s agricultural sector is becoming investible again.
Closing Reflection: Loud in Impact, Muted in Recognition
These are not just reforms—they are recalibrations of national destiny. The soil is speaking again. And for those who choose to listen, invest, and act, the harvest will not just be food—it will be dignity.
The thunder rolling through Nigeria’s farmlands is quiet but discernible. The Tinubu agronomic revolution is not a promise—it is a reckoning. Loud in impact. Muted in recognition. But irreversible in its trajectory.
Here is my clarion call to patriotic Nigerians:
The best way to hold the government accountable is not by condemning every action. True accountability begins with monitoring project implementation, tracking policy impact, pointing out where the government falters—and commending where it has done well.
This is how nations rise: not just through reform, but through responsible citizenship
