Tinubu orders fresh push to tackle rising food prices

President Bola Tinubu has directed a Federal Executive Council (FEC) committee to step up efforts in addressing the soaring cost of food items across the country.

The Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, disclosed the president’s instruction on Wednesday at a workshop in Abuja.

According to Abdullahi, the directive places special emphasis on ensuring the free movement of agricultural produce nationwide. He explained that logistics bottlenecks have been a major driver of food inflation, and the president wants such hurdles removed to make food more affordable for Nigerians.

“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,” he said at the training session for Senate correspondents.

Nigeria has been grappling with worsening food insecurity, largely triggered by the removal of fuel subsidy, rising transportation expenses, and insecurity on highways that has disrupted the supply chain. Despite intervention measures, millions still find basic food items unaffordable.

The minister added that the initiative is tied to Tinubu’s broader food security agenda, which goes beyond production to affordability, accessibility, and sustainable nutrition.

To further support farmers, Abdullahi announced plans to launch a Farmer Soil Health Scheme to boost yields, alongside a renewed cooperative reform programme to strengthen rural farming communities.

“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 said.

The event, themed “Parliamentary Reporting: Issues, Challenges and Responsibilities,” also featured contributions from Senate Media Committee Chairman Senator Yemi Adaramodu, former presidential aide Senator Ita Solomon Enang, and NILDS Director-General Prof. Abubakar Sulaiman.

Tinubu had earlier, during his June Democracy Day address, reaffirmed his commitment to food sovereignty, describing agriculture as central to his administration’s economic vision.

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…”