Niger State Governor, Mohammed Umar Bago, has called for a shift from food security to food sovereignty in Nigeria, stressing the need for increased investment in agriculture and the decolonisation of the country’s food systems.
Bago made the call in his keynote address at the World Food Day Forum organised by the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA) in Lagos, themed “Food Security to Food Sovereignty: How Far Has Nigeria Gone?”
Describing himself as “a farmer and a governor,” Bago said Nigeria must place agriculture at the centre of its economic and foreign policy agenda to achieve genuine self-reliance and sustainable prosperity.
He commended the NIIA for driving national conversations around food policy, adding that the country’s heavy dependence on imported staples such as rice and wheat continues to drain foreign reserves and weaken local food systems.
Also speaking, NIIA Director-General, Prof. Eghosa Osaghae, said World Food Day serves as a reminder that “without food, there will be no world at all.”
Meanwhile, the Ogun State Government has commenced the distribution of free farming tools, kits, and planting materials to over 4,000 households under the Special Agro-Processing Zone (SAPZ) initiative.
According to the State Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security, Bolu Owotomo, the home garden programme aims to combat food insecurity and reduce hunger among households in the state.
In a related development, the Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA) urged governments at all levels to implement comprehensive food policies that protect Nigerians from the rising threat of ultra-processed foods (UPFs) and unhealthy beverages.
CAPPA warned that more Nigerians, especially children and young adults, are being targeted with nutrient-poor, heavily processed foods that are deceptively marketed as healthy options.
