The Federal Government (FG) is set to roll out the National Agribusiness Policy Mechanism (NAPM), a sweeping policy initiative designed to boost agricultural productivity, stabilise food prices, and accelerate economic growth.
The Vice President Kashim Shettima announced on Friday while speaking at a meeting of the Presidential Food Systems Coordinating Unit (PFSCU) Steering Committee at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Shettima escribed the initiative as a critical step toward aligning Nigeria’s agricultural policies with modern data-driven practices and robust public-private partnerships.
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“We have had many interventions in the past, but we must make this work. It is the states that will drive the process,” Shettima said, stressing the urgency of making agriculture a cornerstone of national development.
“The Green Imperative Project is an idea whose time has come. It has been in the incubation period for several years, and now it is coming to fruition. We must get it right.”
The Green Imperative Project (GIP), signed between Nigeria and Brazil on 17 March 2025, is a $1.1 billion initiative that aims to modernise 774 mid-sized farms across Nigeria with Brazilian technology.
It is expected to create jobs and significantly enhance food production.
In a related development, Shettima disclosed that President Bola Tinubu has approved ₦15 billion for the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to prepare for potential flooding as the rainy season approaches.
“This is one of the first proactive decisions by the government to prepare for the flooding season,” he said.
However, the Technical Assistant to the President on Agriculture and Executive Secretary of PFSCU, Marion Moon, explained that NAPM is designed to address persistent challenges such as high food inflation, inefficient subsidies, and agricultural yields that trail 60% behind global benchmarks.
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According to her, pilot surveys for the NAPM have been concluded in 13 states, with a nationwide rollout planned for June 2025.
The initiative, she said will be underpinned by real-time data analytics and a digital platform currently in development, aimed at providing a unified framework for public spending, rural development, and agricultural innovation.
The meeting was attended by key stakeholders, including Governors Umar Namadi (Jigawa) and Biodun Oyebanji (Ekiti); Deputy Governors Umar Kadafur (Borno) and Patricia Onyemaechi Obila (Ebonyi); Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari; Minister of State, Aliyu Abdullahi; and several private sector and international development representatives.
FG hopes the new policy mechanism will help reposition agriculture as a driver of inclusive growth and national food security.
