Why Youth Engagement is Nigeria’s Agricultural Imperative
By Diana Tenebe, Chief Operating Officer, Foodstuff Store Nigeria stands at a critical juncture, faced with a demographic reality that is both its greatest asset and a significant challenge. With a population where almost 70% are under the age of 30, the nation’s future is undeniably in the hands of its youth. Yet, the agricultural […]
Bank of Agriculture gets N1.5trn recapitalisation backing from Tinubu
Onome Amuge President Bola Tinubu has approved a landmark recapitalisation of the Bank of Agriculture (BOA) with a N1.5 trillion commitment. The move, hailed by the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security as the most significant boost to agricultural financing in Nigeria’s history, is expected to reposition the institution as a dynamic development finance entity […]
Unmasking Nigeria’s Food Safety Crisis: A Dual Pathway to Public Health and Global Competitiveness
By Diana Tenebe, COO, Foodstuff Store Nigeria, often heralded as Africa’s economic powerhouse and most populous nation, is grappling with a silent epidemic that exacts a devastating toll on its citizens and stifles its economic potential: a pervasive food safety crisis. This isn’t merely a matter of occasional discomfort; it’s a grim reality where over […]
N1trn Anchor Borrowers’ programme fails to deliver as repayment crisis mounts
Onome Amuge Nigeria’s flagship agricultural credit scheme, the Anchor Borrowers’ Programme (ABP), has been declared a failure by the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN). This assessment, presented by Kabir Kebram, AFAN’s National President, underscores deep-seated concerns over the initiative’s structural integrity, transparency, and its ultimate inability to genuinely uplift smallholder farmers and agribusinesses despite the disbursement […]
Bill Gates’s GMO investments fuel backlash in Nigeria’s food policy debate
Nigeria’s approval and increasing adoption of genetically modified (GM) crops have ignited a fierce online backlash, exposing a deep-seated national debate over food security, agricultural independence, and the perceived influence of Western agritech interests. While food containing genetically modified organisms (GMOs) has been commercially available in Nigeria since 2019, the controversy reignited recently, underscoring the […]
Lagos launches N500bn offtake fund to power N16trn food economy
Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the Lagos State governor, on Wednesday, launched the Produce for Lagos Programme and a transformative N500 billion Offtake Guarantee Fund, as part of the state’s mission to boost food security and economic growth. The Governor revealed that Lagos’s food economy has ballooned from an annual N6.5 trillion to N16.14 trillion, underscoring its role […]
Nigeria’s global cassava dominance threatened by industrial constraints
Nigeria, the undisputed global leader in cassava production, harvested an estimated 62.7 million metric tonnes of the crop in 2023. Yet, this immense output belies a critical national challenge, as the country accounts for just two percent of the global cassava processing market share. The worrisome disparity underscores a persistent and economically detrimental gap between […]
Festive demand drives 400% price hike in north-east livestock markets- Report
Despite the enduring challenges that have long defined Nigeria’s North East, a surprisingly robust economic narrative is emerging from its bustling livestock markets. A new study by Moniepoint Inc., Africa’s leading financial institution, reveals that livestock traders in this region experience an increase of 400 per cent in sales and income during Nigeria’s festive seasons, […]
Can Urban Farming Contribute Meaningfully to Nigeria’s Food Security?
By Diana Tenebe, Chief Operating Officer, Foodstuff Store Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation, faces a complex web of food security challenges. Soaring food inflation, exacerbated by climate extremes, persistent insecurity in food-producing regions, and an inadequate supply of nutritious foods, has pushed millions into acute hunger. Despite vast agricultural resources, the country ranks low on […]
Nigeria bans access to foreign exchange for foods, fertilizer importers
Charles Abuede President Muhammadu Buhari has directed the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to restrict foreign exchange from the nation’s reserves on food items and fertilizer importation citing that the federal government, through its proactive policies, has been able to avert the looming food crisis in the wake of the coronavirus crisis, which disrupted the agriculture value […]