L-R Chairman House of Representatives Committee on, Bello Kauje, his counterpart in the Senate, Senator Salihu Mustapha and a member of the committee, Senator Abdulaziz Musa Yar’adu, during the 2026 budget defence of the Agricultural and Rural Development before the joint committee, at the National Assembly in Abuja
The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security has raised alarm over delayed capital releases and declining budget allocations, warning that these are slowing critical food security programmes across Nigeria.
Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, presented the ministry’s 2026 budget proposal before a joint session of the Senate and House Committees on Agricultural Production, Services and Rural Development.
Only 30% of 2025 Capital Funds Released
Sen. Abdullahi disclosed that while personnel costs under the 2025 budget were largely implemented, only 30% of the ministry’s capital allocation, roughly ₦18 billion, has been released. This has left several programmes stalled.
“Only constituency-linked projects have received partial disbursement, totaling ₦19.8 billion,” the minister said, adding that the funding gap limits the ministry’s ability to support farmers nationwide.
The shortfall is affecting fertiliser distribution, mechanisation, extension services, and other interventions under President Bola Tinubu’s food security emergency initiative.
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Nigeria’s agriculture receive ₦1
For 2026, Nigeria’s agricultural sector is projected to receive about ₦1 trillion, but the ministry has been allocated just:
- ₦262 billion for capital projects
- ₦19.18 billion for recurrent spending
This marks a sharp drop from ₦2.22 trillion in 2025 to ₦1.45 trillion in the 2026 proposal, raising concerns among lawmakers who warned that reduced funding could undermine national food security and economic recovery.
Rising Input Costs
Sen. Abdullahi highlighted surging production costs, driven by gas pricing for fertiliser manufacturers and taxation on agrochemicals, as a major threat to farmers’ sustainability.
“Many producers now struggle to balance rising input prices with consumer expectations for affordable food,” he said, stressing that inefficiencies in past tractor distribution, leaving over 7,000 tractors unused must not recur.
Sector Growth
The minister cited agriculture’s growing contribution to national GDP:
- 24.05% in 2022
- 24.10% in 2023
- 29.44% in 2024
- 26.17% in Q2 2025
Despite this growth, Nigeria still allocates only about 4% of its national budget to agriculture, below the 10% Maputo Declaration benchmark, prompting calls for increased and timely funding.
Lawmakers Sound Alarm
House Committee Chairman Bello Ka’oje described the reduced allocation as a troubling contradiction amid a 21% rise in total national expenditure to ₦58.47 trillion in 2026. He warned that declining investment could weaken productivity, deepen food insecurity, and stall economic recovery.
Ka’oje urged:
- Increased funding
- First-line charge status for the National Agricultural Development Fund
- Greater inclusion of women and youth in agricultural programmes
Senate Committee Chairman, Saliu Mustapha, echoed concerns, stressing that agriculture remains Nigeria’s most reliable pathway to job creation and poverty reduction. He called on the Federal Government to ensure predictable and adequate funding for the sector.
“The National Assembly will work with the ministry to ensure the 2026 budget strengthens food supply, supports farmers, and improves economic stability,” Mustapha said.
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