Nigeria's annual wheat output has climbed from roughly 120,000 metric tonnes to 420,000 metric tonnes following the rollout of the National Agricultural Growth Scheme and Agro-Pocket (NAGS-AP), the Federal Government has reported.
Prof. Ademola Adenle, Senior Special Adviser on Agriculture and Innovation to the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, disclosed the figures in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Abuja. The movement from 120,000 tonnes to 420,000 tonnes represents a 250% increase, and the higher output is 3.5 times the previous level. Adenle described the gain as a 300% expansion, although a 300% increase would imply production of about 480,000 tonnes.
NAGS-AP is a flagship federal programme that delivers subsidised agricultural inputs to smallholder farmers through agro-dealers, with the aim of improving food production. Adenle said access to fertilisers, improved seeds, chemicals and extension services has been central to raising agricultural productivity.
"The whole idea is to provide inputs to farmers, such as fertilisers, chemicals and good essential services, through agro-dealers," he said.
He noted that the programme has contributed to significant output increases across several crops, with wheat recording one of the most notable improvements. Before the input support under the Renewed Hope Agenda, annual production stood at around 120,000 metric tonnes; it has since risen to about 420,000 tonnes annually.
Despite the improvement, Adenle said low agricultural productivity remains a major challenge, pointing to the land administration system as a structural constraint. He said the 1978 Land Use Act vests considerable control in state governments and has produced an inefficient traditional system of accessing land. Many smallholder farmers cultivate between 0.5 and two hectares, which limits expansion and economies of scale.
The government's planned reforms are intended to address these constraints and improve access to productive land. Adenle said the reforms would cover production, processing, distribution and marketing, with the objective of lifting productivity and raising farmers' incomes.
