Tinubu’s Food Security Drive and the Promise of Affordable Meals for Nigerians

At breakfast, a mother in Kano calculates how much of the family’s food budget can stretch until evening. In Katsina, a farmer wonders whether fertiliser will arrive before the rains become unreliable. In Lagos, a trader watches customers reduce their purchases because prices remain beyond their reach. These are different faces of the same national challenge: food security.

For President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, addressing this challenge is not merely an agricultural policy objective; it is a test of governance whose success must ultimately be measured at the family table.

Since assuming office in May 2023, Tinubu has placed food security among the priorities of his Renewed Hope Agenda. His administration declared a state of emergency on food security in July 2023 and introduced measures intended to increase domestic production, improve farmers’ access to inputs, expand mechanisation and strengthen agricultural value chains. The direction is important. Nigeria cannot sustainably feed its growing population by relying on imports or expecting farmers to produce more with inadequate tools and expensive inputs.

One significant intervention is the drive to improve access to fertiliser. In June 2026, the Presidency reported that more than 449,000 metric tonnes of fertiliser inputs had been secured by May, while the government targeted a 1.1 million tonne fertiliser programme for the year. It also announced that 515,720 bags of locally produced fertiliser were being distributed to 128,930 smallholder farmers across 25 states and the Federal Capital Territory.

These figures matter because smallholder farmers produce a substantial share of the food Nigerians consume. Yet a programme’s real value depends not only on the quantity procured but on whether the right farmers receive affordable fertiliser at the right time. Transparent distribution, effective monitoring and protection against political favouritism are therefore essential.

Mechanisation is another promising front. In June 2025, Tinubu commissioned 2,000 tractors under the Renewed Hope Agricultural Mechanisation Programme. The initiative was designed to help farmers access modern equipment, reduce dependence on exhausting manual labour and improve productivity.

For a young Nigerian considering agriculture, access to machinery could make farming more attractive and commercially viable. For a farmer cultivating several hectares, timely land preparation can mean the difference between making the most of the rainy season and losing valuable planting days. However, tractors must be affordable and accessible, with trained operators, maintenance services, fuel and spare parts available.

The administration has also emphasised irrigation, improved seeds, agricultural financing, processing and storage. These are vital because food security is not achieved simply by harvesting more crops. Farmers must be able to preserve produce, transport it to markets and sell at prices that reward their labour without placing unbearable burdens on consumers.

Nevertheless, the government must confront the realities that continue to undermine progress. Insecurity in farming communities, climate-related disruptions, high transport costs, limited rural infrastructure and post-harvest losses can weaken the impact of otherwise worthwhile policies. Farmers cannot cultivate land they cannot safely reach and consumers cannot benefit fully from bumper harvests if food spoils before reaching the market.

Equally important, government announcements must translate into measurable improvements in household welfare. A fall in food prices, where sustained and verified, should be welcomed; but families need consistent access to affordable, nutritious food, not temporary relief. Independent monitoring, reliable data and public reporting should establish which interventions work, who benefits and where gaps remain.

Tinubu’s food security agenda deserves assessment on its practical achievements rather than its promises alone. Federal and state governments, research institutions, financial organisations, private investors and farmers’ associations must work together to make agriculture productive and resilient.

Ultimately, food security is about dignity. It means a farmer earning a fair return, a child receiving adequate nutrition and a parent shopping without the constant fear that dinner will consume tomorrow’s income.

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