Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Senator Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, has called for private-sector investment in agriculture to achieve national food security and reduce poverty.

Bagudu, who reaffirmed the government’s commitment to transforming Nigeria’s agrifood system through stronger collaboration, institutional reforms, and science-driven agriculture, made the call at the 2nd biannual meeting of the Agrifood Systems Working Group (ASWG), convened by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, in Abuja.

The minister commended the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari, for leading the implementation of the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) 2026–2035, noting that the continental framework aligns with Nigeria’s long-standing commitment to building a resilient and inclusive food system.

He stressed that although the African Union’s agricultural agenda runs from 2026 to 2035, President Bola Tinubu has set an even more ambitious national target to lift Nigerians out of poverty by 2030 through inclusive economic growth, food security, and improved livelihoods.

He said, food security is central to Nigeria’s development agenda and is enshrined in the Constitution, which describes agriculture as a shared responsibility of the Federal, State, and Local Councils within the country’s cooperative federal system.

Bagudu highlighted the scale of Nigeria’s agricultural landscape, disclosing that the country has over 42 million agricultural households, predominantly smallholder family farms, which he described as the backbone of the nation’s food system.

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He said supporting these households in becoming more productive and profitable remains critical to ensuring food security, generating surplus production, reducing poverty, and stimulating economic growth.