Nigeria’s annual wheat production has risen from about 120,000 metric tonnes to 420,000 metric tonnes following the implementation of the National Agricultural Growth Scheme and Agro-Pocket (NAGS-AP), the Federal Government has said.
The increase represents a 250 per cent rise from the previous production baseline, highlighting the impact of improved access to agricultural inputs under the government’s agricultural support programme.
Prof. Ademola Adenle, Senior Special Adviser on Agriculture and Innovation to the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja.
NAGS-AP is a Federal Government programme designed to boost food production by providing subsidised agricultural inputs to smallholder farmers through agro-dealers.
Adenle said access to critical farm inputs, including fertilisers, improved seeds, chemicals and extension services, had played a central role in efforts to raise 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 said the programme had contributed to improved output across several crops, with wheat recording one of the most significant increases.
“Before, we were producing around 120,000 metric tonnes annually, which was the baseline,” Adenle said.
“But with the introduction of inputs provided under the Renewed Hope Agenda, wheat farmers have enjoyed a 300 per cent increase in production.
“So, that is massive, from 120,000 tonnes to 420,000 tonnes annually.”
However, the figures cited show that production has increased by 250 per cent, from 120,000 tonnes to 420,000 tonnes. The new output is 3.5 times the previous production level.
Despite the increase in wheat production, Adenle identified access to farmland as one of the structural challenges limiting agricultural productivity in Nigeria.
He said the government was looking to address challenges associated with the Land Use Act of 1978, which gives state governments significant control over land.
According to him, the existing framework has contributed to difficulties in accessing farmland, particularly for smallholder farmers.
“The Land Use Act is quite old. We are currently using the 1978 Land Use Act which, obviously, vests power in the hands of state governments and has an inefficient traditional system of accessing land,” he said.
Adenle noted that many smallholder farmers operate on between 0.5 and two hectares, limiting their ability to expand production and benefit from economies of scale.
He said planned reforms would seek to improve access to productive farmland and address some of the structural constraints affecting farmers.
Adenle said the planned agricultural reforms would cover different segments of the value chain, including production, processing, distribution and marketing.
The objective, he said, was to raise productivity while improving farmers’ incomes.
The latest increase in wheat production follows the Federal Government’s launch of its 2025/2026 dry-season wheat farming programme under NAGS-AP in November 2025.
The programme targeted 80,000 registered farmers nationwide, with the government projecting about N160 billion in output value.
The wheat initiative forms part of broader efforts to increase domestic food production and reduce Nigeria’s dependence on imports.
The Federal Government also announced a $3.14 billion agricultural investment plan in September 2025 in partnership with the Food and Agriculture Organization under the Hand-in-Hand Initiative.
For wheat production, sustaining the recent gains will depend on continued access to improved inputs, irrigation, farmland, financing and reliable markets.
The government’s planned reforms will therefore be critical to determining whether the increase in wheat output can be sustained and extended across other crops.
