Despite Nigeria’s vast arable land and status as a largely agrarian nation, the country’s agricultural potential remains stunted by rising insecurity and chronic underinvestment in rural infrastructure, experts have said.
According to Diana Tenebe, Chief Operating Officer at Foodstuff Store, the combined effect of violence in farming communities and the absence of critical amenities in rural areas poses a significant threat to national food security and economic stability.
“Addressing these twin issues is not just an economic necessity—it’s a matter of national survival,” Tenebe noted in a statement.
Benue: Nigeria’s Food Basket Under Siege
Benue State, long celebrated as the “Food Basket of the Nation,” has become a tragic symbol of the crisis. In June 2025, violent attacks in Yelewata, a farming settlement, claimed the lives of dozens, with some reports placing the death toll at over 100. The attacks forced residents to flee, leaving farmlands and livelihoods in ruins.
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) reported over 500,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Benue as of 2024—a figure that continues to grow amid persistent violence.
Tenebe cited research showing that every 1% increase in insecurity leads to a 0.211% drop in crop output and a 0.311% decline in livestock production in the state. Benue produces over half of Nigeria’s yams and is a major source of cassava, rice, and soybeans. Disruption to these supply chains is already fueling food inflation and deepening hunger nationwide.
“Farms are abandoned, storage facilities destroyed, and market access cut off,” she explained. “The economic losses are immense, but the human cost is even greater.”
A Broken Rural Backbone
While insecurity grabs headlines, Nigeria’s neglect of rural infrastructure is equally damaging to agricultural productivity.
Poor road networks leave farmers stranded during harvest season, leading to post-harvest losses estimated at 40% annually. A lack of irrigation systems limits farming to the rainy season, while erratic electricity supply prevents proper storage and agro-processing.
Tenebe warned that without access to power, water, roads, and modern tools, smallholder farmers; who produce 90% of Nigeria’s food remain locked in subsistence cycles, unable to scale or compete.
“Even if security were restored tomorrow, we’d still face massive structural challenges,” she said.
Security and Infrastructure: A Symbiotic Solution
Experts believe that resolving Nigeria’s agricultural crisis requires a coordinated national strategy that addresses both security and infrastructure simultaneously.
“Secured environments enable infrastructure projects to flourish, while good roads and connectivity allow faster military response in volatile areas,” Tenebe observed.
She called for massive investment in feeder roads, rural electrification through grid and off-grid solutions, and modern irrigation systems that reduce dependence on rainfall. She also advocated for cold storage facilities and rural agro-processing centers to minimize waste and boost value addition.
Support for Displaced Farmers and Policy Reform Urged
Tenebe urged the government to prioritize support for displaced farming communities, particularly in states like Benue. “Seedlings, fertilizers, cash assistance, and psychosocial support are critical to helping farmers return to their land,” she said.
She also highlighted the importance of policy implementation, pointing to existing agricultural blueprints that are poorly executed due to lack of political will.
“From land reform to access to credit and extension services, Nigeria already has the policies—it just needs the resolve to implement them,” she said.
A Call for Urgency
Despite its untapped promise, Nigeria’s agricultural sector faces a pivotal moment. Until the root causes of insecurity and infrastructural decay are addressed, the nation will continue to rely on food imports while millions go hungry.
“Nigeria’s path to prosperity starts with peace and investment in the people who feed it,” Tenebe concluded. “Benue’s tragedy is a wake-up call we can no longer afford to ignore.”
