Reported by Weng Patrick Atokor l Journalist at Weng Global
Nigeria’s annual wheat production has increased from about 120,000 metric tonnes to 420,000 metric tonnes, with the Federal Government attributing the reported growth to its National Agricultural Growth Scheme and Agro-Pocket (NAGS-AP) initiative.
Ademola Adenle, Senior Special Adviser on Agriculture and Innovation to the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, disclosed the figures in Abuja on Saturday while reviewing developments and achievements in Nigeria’s agricultural sector.
According to Adenle, the government’s agricultural intervention has focused on improving farmers’ access to essential inputs, including fertilisers, improved seeds, chemicals and agricultural extension services.
He said the NAGS-AP programme was introduced as part of the Federal Government’s efforts under the Renewed Hope Agenda to increase agricultural productivity, strengthen food security and reduce supply gaps.
NAGS-AP Drives Agricultural Input Support
NAGS-AP is a Federal Government agricultural programme designed to provide subsidised agricultural inputs to smallholder farmers through agro-dealers.
Adenle said the initiative was aimed at ensuring that farmers had access to the resources required to improve productivity.
“We have implemented NAGS-AP under the Renewed Hope Agenda,” he said, explaining that the programme provides farmers with inputs including fertilisers and chemicals through agro-dealers.
The government says the intervention has contributed to increased production across several crops, with wheat identified as one of the crops recording significant growth.
Adenle said wheat production had risen from an estimated baseline of 120,000 metric tonnes annually to 420,000 metric tonnes.
Government Expands Wheat Production Programme
The latest announcement comes amid continued government efforts to expand domestic wheat cultivation and reduce Nigeria’s dependence on imports.
The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security has been implementing wheat interventions through NAGS-AP, including support for farmers during the dry season.
In its 2025/2026 dry-season wheat programme, the ministry said it earmarked 40,000 hectares for wheat production and registered 80,000 farmers.
The ministry projected an output value of approximately ₦160 billion from the programme.
The wheat component of the programme covers multiple states, with farmers receiving subsidised inputs and agricultural extension support.
The ministry has also said that quality-control officers would monitor fertiliser and seed standards to ensure that inputs supplied to farmers meet required specifications.
Wheat Remains Important to Nigeria’s Food Economy
Wheat is widely used in Nigeria for producing bread, pasta, noodles and other food products.
An increase in domestic wheat production could reduce some of the pressure created by reliance on imported wheat, particularly when international commodity prices, exchange-rate movements and global supply disruptions affect domestic food prices.
However, the reported increase does not eliminate the gap between domestic production and national demand.
Nigeria continues to require substantially more wheat than it currently produces, meaning imports remain an important part of the country’s food supply chain.
The government has therefore continued to emphasise higher domestic production as part of its broader food-security strategy.
Production Figures Require Consistent Measurement
The Federal Government’s reported figure of 420,000 metric tonnes represents a substantial increase from the 120,000-tonne baseline cited by Adenle.
However, available estimates of Nigeria’s wheat production have varied across different sources and periods.
The United States Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service has published different production estimates based on its own agricultural assessment and marketing-year methodology.
This makes consistent collection and publication of agricultural statistics important when assessing the country’s progress in wheat production.
The government’s claim should therefore be understood as its latest reported figure linked to the NAGS-AP intervention.
Wider Food-Security Implications
Nigeria’s efforts to increase wheat production form part of a broader push to improve domestic food supply.
Higher agricultural output can help strengthen the availability of staple commodities while potentially reducing exposure to international supply shocks.
For wheat farmers, however, sustained growth will depend on more than access to subsidised inputs.
Irrigation, improved seeds, extension services, access to finance, mechanisation, storage, transportation and security in farming communities will also influence production outcomes.
The Federal Government has previously identified timely access to quality agricultural inputs as an important part of improving productivity and advancing food sovereignty.
What Happens Next
The government is expected to continue implementing NAGS-AP and related agricultural programmes aimed at increasing production of wheat and other staple crops.
For wheat, continued support for farmers, expansion of cultivated areas, improved farming practices and investment in irrigation will be important to sustaining production gains.
The reported increase to 420,000 metric tonnes represents the latest production figure announced by the Federal Government. The longer-term measure of progress will be whether Nigeria can sustain higher production and gradually narrow the gap between domestic supply and national wheat demand.
Weng Global – Stories beyond borders
Sources
- Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security
- News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)
- Peoples Gazette
- U.S. Department of Agriculture, Foreign Agricultural Service (USDA FAS)
- Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation
