VP SHETTIMA UNVEILS NIGERIA’S MACRO-STRATEGY AT DAVOS
VP SHETTIMA UNVEILS NIGERIA’S MACRO-STRATEGY AT DAVOS
Nigeria reframes food security as a macroeconomic, governance & security priority at World Economic Forum
Vice President Senator Kashim Shettima revealed Nigeria’s new, multi-sector food security strategy during a high-level panel titled “When Food Becomes Security” at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. He stated that Nigeria no longer views food security solely as an agricultural issue but as a strategic pillar for national stability, economic resilience, and governance.
Macro-economic integration
Shettima highlighted that food security is now central to Nigeria’s macroeconomic planning, not just a farm-sector concern, linking it to inflation, national stability, and foreign exchange resilience.
State House
- Three core pillars:
Increased food production Boost resilience and self-sufficiency.
Environmental sustainability Adapt to climate pressures across ecological zones (desertification in the North, flooding in the South).
Regional cooperation Promote deeper integration within West Africa to strengthen food systems.
Climate & ecology linked to food production
Shettima explained Nigeria’s diverse climate impacts drought and desertification in the Sahel, floods in the sout and emphasised resilient food systems tailored to these realities.
Security as a constraint
He noted that insecurity in key food-producing areas undermines production, prompting the creation of “food security corridors” and community-based safety initiatives to encourage farmers to return to their lands.
Back to the Farm Initiative
To rebuild local food production, the government launched the Back to the Farm Initiative, which aims to resettle displaced farmers, provide agricultural inputs, insurance, and access to capital to restart production.
Reducing import dependence
Shettima identified heavy reliance on imported staples such as wheat, sugar, and dairy as a driver of inflation and foreign exchange pressure, advocating accelerated local production and substitutes like sorghum, millet, and cassava flour.
He said Nigeria’s approach aligns agriculture with inflation control and regional cooperation, tackling underlying structural imbalances in the economy. Despite policy reforms, Nigeria continues to face severe food insecurity: an estimated 30.6 million people in 26 states and the Federal Capital Territory faced acute food and nutrition insecurity for the 2025 lean season, underscoring the urgency of sustained interventions. The World Food Programme also warned that unless new funding arrives, emergency food assistance for over one million Nigerians especially in the northeast will be drastically reduced. Shettima called for deeper collaboration among African countries under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) to ensure resilient intra-African agricultural trade and food supplies a response to global shocks and shifting supply chains.
Integration with Renewed Hope reforms
Shettima linked the food security strategy firmly with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, expressing optimism that ongoing reforms will attract investment, expand climate adaptation, scale production, and make smallholder farmers more investable part of broader economic and national stability goals.
Strategic shift: Nigeria is transitioning from a narrow agricultural focus to a systemic, macroeconomic food security strategy centered on production, sustainability, and governance.
Security & climate risks: Structural challenges insecurity, climate variability, and import dependence shape policy priorities and investment planning Emphasis on West African cooperation positions Nigeria as a potential stabilizer in regional food systems under AfCFTA mechanisms.
