The National Project Coordinator of the National Agricultural Growth Scheme and Agro-Pocket Project (NAGS-AP), Ishaku Buba, revealed that a proposed N1.25tn revenue from wheat production in 2025 would be generated by 280,000 farmers.
At a one-day workshop in Abuja themed “Building a Strong Partnership with the Media for Food Security,” Buba stated that the target aligns with the president’s mandate on food security, affordability, and sector reinvigoration.
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) reports that Nigeria’s wheat production for the 2023/24 marketing year is estimated at 120,000 metric tons, with 110,000 hectares harvested and a yield of approximately 1.09 metric tons per hectare.
This production level places Nigeria roughly 57th in global wheat production, far behind leading producers like China, India, and Russia, which each produce over 70 million metric tons annually.
Nigeria relies heavily on wheat imports to meet domestic demand. According to the USDA, in 2023, the country imported approximately 406,569 metric tons of wheat, valued at $146.78m.
Despite this gap in local production, Buba announced the launch of the wheat production programme for the 2024/2025 dry season across 16 wheat-producing states, targeting 280,000 farmers.
He noted that over 279,000 farmers have already been reached, with an estimated yield of 837,891 metric tons.
“We are looking at a significant boost in wheat production, and the expected output will generate revenue exceeding N1.25tn.
“We are on track to meet our targets, and the NAGS-AP framework, backed by ICT, will ensure seamless implementation and accountability,” Buba said.
He further explained that the targets would be supported by a robust distribution model involving 409 redemption centers and a network of agro-dealers in the selected states.
According to Buba, 647,500 farmers have registered on the platform, and more than 628,000 have received inputs for various crops, including wheat and rice.
With the wheat production programme achieving nearly a 97 per cent success rate and delivering agricultural support to over 118,000 farmers in 15 states by the end of 2024, Buba expressed optimism about the 2025 dry season.
He said, “The impact has been promising, and we are now preparing for the next phase of wheat production.”
