President Bola Tinubu has announced a state of emergency on food security within Nigeria.
This information was conveyed by the Presidential spokesman, Dele Alake during a press briefing at the State House on Thursday.
The President has called for all matters related to the availability and affordability of food and water, which are critical for daily living, to be handled by the National Security Council.
This directive aligns with the Tinubu administration’s commitment to support the most vulnerable citizens.
Alake noted that the President recognizes the impact of the rising cost of food on the financial well-being of the Nigerian people.
To alleviate the effects of the subsidy removal, President Tinubu ordered the prompt release of fertilizers and grains to farmers and households.
Tinubu was quoted saying, “There must be an urgent synergy between the Ministry of Agriculture and the Ministry of Water Resources to ensure adequate irrigation of farmlands and to guarantee that food is produced all year round.
We shall create and support a National Commodity Board that will review and continuously assess food prices as well as maintain a strategic food reserve that will be used as a price stabilisation mechanism for critical grains and other food items. Through this board, the government will moderate spikes and dips in food prices.
To achieve this, we have the following stakeholders on board to support the intervention effort of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu: The National Commodity Exchange (NCX), Seed Companies, National Seed Council and Research institutes, NIRSAL Microfinance Bank, Food Processing/ Agric Processing associations, private sector holders & Prime Anchors, smallholder farmers, crop associations and Fertilizer producers, blenders and suppliers associations to mention a few.
We will engage our security architecture to protect the farms and the farmers so that farmers can return to the farmlands without fear of attacks.”
The President said the Central Bank of Nigeria will continue to play a role of funding the agricultural value chain.
According to Tinubu, 500,000 hectares of have already been mapped land to increase the availability of arable land for farming.
Tinubu said revenue from food and agricultural exports would be increased.
