Farmers lament $2.34bn import bill, seek improved farm security - Businessday NG

BusinessDay

June 8, 2026

Local farmers and agricultural experts have attributed Nigeria’s growing dependence on food imports to insecurity in farming communities, calling on the government to prioritise the safety of farmlands and rural communities.

They spoke in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Lagos while reacting to data from the Central Bank of Nigeria, that food imports stood at $2.34 billion in 2025.

The General Secretary of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria, Mr Femi Oke, described the country’s increasing reliance on imported food as discouraging to local farmers.