A transformative agricultural initiative is reshaping Nigeria’s agricultural landscape by leveraging digital technology and targeted subsidies to dramatically scale domestic wheat production. The Nigeria Agriculture Sector Program, funded by the African Development Bank, has supported nearly 400,000 smallholder farmers across 23 states. This intervention has catalyzed a surge in national production, moving the country from near-total import dependency to supplying twenty percent of its domestic wheat demand.
The program’s core innovation was a direct and transparent digital registration and input delivery system. Farmers like Hajiya Sidiya Kiru, a fifty-two-year-old wheat farmer and women’s leader from Kano State, received a simple SMS code that granted access to heavily subsidized, high-quality inputs. She confirmed that before this program, no organization provided structured support for wheat production. The digital notification made accessing certified seeds and fertilizer seamless, which was a first in their experience. After receiving a fifty percent subsidy on fertilizers and a seventy-five percent subsidy on certified wheat seeds, she expanded her plot to one hectare. With accompanying agronomic training, she achieved a yield of three point seven metric tons, which significantly boosted her household income.
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The program’s success is quantified by unprecedented macroeconomic gains. The cultivated area for wheat skyrocketed from 11,820 hectares in 2021 to approximately 400,000 hectares by 2025. Average farmer yields improved by thirty percent due to the improved inputs and extension services. Domestic wheat production now stands at 1.12 million metric tons, valued at over five hundred million dollars. Furthermore, the initiative created an estimated 25,000 new jobs across the agricultural value chain and stimulated over thirty million dollars in private sector investment. Major flour mills have established guaranteed offtake agreements with farmer cooperatives, ensuring stable markets for the future.
According to Farouk Rabiu Mudi, President of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria, the strategic support de-risked expansion for farmers. By doubling his cultivated land, his income more than doubled. He stated that this multiplier effect is consistent across the wheat belt, signaling a sustainable model for national food security.
A hallmark of the program’s professional management is its incorporation of direct farmer feedback to drive continuous improvement. While celebrating the success, farmers provided critical insights for enhancing future phases. Hajiya Sidiya noted that the primary challenge was a delay in input distribution, which impacts planting schedules. For greater impact, she recommended increasing the input quantities, ensuring timely delivery, and incorporating vital irrigation assets like water pumps for dry-season farming. This constructive feedback, gathered through independent surveys, is being integrated into program planning to enhance efficiency and impact further.
The Nigeria Agriculture Sector Program is a flagship development finance initiative designed to achieve sustainable food security and economic diversification. By strengthening agricultural value chains and enhancing productivity, the program empowers smallholder farmers and drives import substitution as part of the national strategy to build a self-sufficient agricultural sector.