President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has ordered the Federal Executive Council (FEC) Committee on Food Security to take immediate steps to crash soaring food prices across the country, amid growing hardship being experienced by Nigerians.
The directive was disclosed on Wednesday in Abuja by the Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Sen. Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, at a capacity-building workshop for Senate Correspondents.
According to him, the President’s marching order centres on ensuring the safe passage of farm produce across transport routes to cut high logistics costs that have been driving food inflation.
“The President has given a matching order with a Federal Executive Council Committee already handling it on how we are going to promote safe passage of agricultural foods and commodities across our various routes in the country,” Abdullahi stated.
Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation, has been grappling with worsening food insecurity following the removal of fuel subsidies, skyrocketing transport costs, incessant road blocks where illegal tolls are forcefully collected and insecurity on highways that has hampered the movement of goods.
Despite government interventions, food remains largely unaffordable for millions of Nigerians, with inflation hitting staple products such as rice, maize, and beans.
Abdullahi stressed that the President’s plan is rooted in his broader vision of food sovereignty—not just ensuring availability, but also guaranteeing affordability, accessibility, and nutrition on a sustainable basis.
To back this agenda, Abdullahi explained that the government was preparing to roll out two key initiatives:
Farmer Soil Health Scheme – a programme designed to boost crop yields by improving soil fertility and ensuring long-term productivity.
Cooperative Reform Initiative – aimed at mobilising resources, improving financial access, and empowering rural farmers to scale their operations.
“Mr. President has shown tremendous interest in the cooperative sector as a veritable tool for resource mobilisation, economic activity generation, and improving the livelihoods of members,” the minister added.
The workshop, with the theme, “Parliamentary Reporting: Issues, Challenges and Responsibilities,” also featured the Senate Media Committee Chairman, Sen. Yemi Adaramodu; former presidential aide, Sen. Ita Solomon Enang and the Director-General of NILDS, Prof. Abubakar Sulaiman.
