Gloria Robert, Abuja
The Federal Government has taken fresh steps to reduce the cost of food items across the country, following a directive by President Bola Tinubu.
The Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Sen. Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, disclosed this on Wednesday in Abuja at a capacity-building workshop for Senate correspondents.
He said the President had ordered a Federal Executive Council (FEC) committee to urgently implement measures to lower food prices by ensuring the safe movement of farm produce.
“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 said.
Nigeria has faced worsening food insecurity due to high transport costs, insecurity on highways, and the removal of fuel subsidy, which have disrupted the movement of goods. Despite government interventions, food remains largely unaffordable for millions.
Abdullahi explained that the plan aligns with Tinubu’s broader vision of food sovereignty, which goes beyond availability to affordability, accessibility and nutrition.
To support the initiative, he said the government would soon roll out a Farmer Soil Health Scheme to boost productivity and a revamped cooperative reform programme to empower rural farmers.
“Mr. President has shown tremendous interest in the cooperative sector as a veritable tool for resource mobilisation, for economic activity generation, and to improve the livelihood of members,” he added.
The event, with the theme.“Parliamentary Reporting: Issues, Challenges and Responsibilities,” also featured the Chairman, Senate Committee on Media, Sen. Yemi Adaramodu; former presidential aide, Sen. Ita Solomon Enang; and the Director-General, NILDS, Prof. Abubakar Sulaiman.
Tinubu had earlier in June, during his Democracy Day address at the National Assembly, reaffirmed that Nigeria was on the path to achieving food sovereignty.
He said, “Our ‘Nigeria First’ policy will further enhance progress as we consolidate market-driven growth. The improved economic performance is encouraging and validates the soundness of our policy measures. Our medium-term growth target remains an economy growing at a seven per cent clip with a stronger manufacturing base. We must learn to produce and grow most of our food, and we are on the path to achieving food sovereignty.”