Contemporary Issues, Challenges and Solutions in Nigerian Agriculture: A Review of the Period 2020–2025
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.33003/fjs-2026-1016-5658Keywords:
Nigerian agriculture, agricultural transformation, food security, agricultural policyAbstract
Nigeria’s agricultural sector is central to food security, employment generation, economic diversification, and rural development, yet its transformative potential remains constrained by persistent structural, environmental, institutional, and socioeconomic challenges. This narrative review critically examines contemporary issues affecting Nigerian agriculture between 2020 and 2025, evaluates strategies for sectoral revitalisation, and draws lessons from relevant international experiences. Secondary data were obtained from peer-reviewed literature, policy documents, and national and international databases, including Scopus, Web of Science, Google Scholar, African Journals Online, and the Central Bank of Nigeria, the National Bureau of Statistics, FAOSTAT, the World Bank, and FEWS NET. Evidence was synthesised thematically around key agricultural problems, transformation models, international experiences, and policy recommendations. The review identifies declining land and labour productivity, weak input and extension systems, inadequate irrigation, poor rural infrastructure, high post-harvest losses, limited agro-processing capacity, climate variability, environmental degradation, insecurity, policy inconsistency, underinvestment, land constraints, and unequal access to digital technologies and agricultural finance as major barriers to agricultural transformation. Although initiatives such as the Anchor Borrowers’ Programme, NIRSAL, digital agriculture, climate-smart practices, and value-chain development have generated important opportunities, their impacts have been limited by weak implementation, institutional fragmentation, inadequate funding, and exclusion of smallholders, women, and youth. International experiences from Asia, Latin America, India, and the Sahel demonstrate the importance of sustained public investment, effective farmer organisations, community-led adaptation, integrated value-chain development, and stable policy institutions.
References
Abraham, A. J., & Jankowska, A. (2025). The potential and productivity of agriculture in Nigeria (Preprint). https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202507.0223.v1
Adeyemi, A. E., & Odefunsho, O. A. (2024). Determinants of food security in Sub-Saharan Africa: Effect of ICT and financial improvement. Bayero Business Review, 60.
Akinkuolie, T. A., Ogunbode, T. O., & Adekiya, A. O. (2025). Resilience to climate-induced food insecurity in Nigeria: A systematic review of the role of adaptation strategies in flood and drought mitigation. Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems, 8, Article 1490133.
Ayodeji, A. O., Rauf, A. J., Joshua, Y., Fapojuwo, O. E., & Alabi, S. O. (2021). Constraints to women's empowerment in agriculture in rural farming areas in Oyo State, Nigeria. Journal of Agricultural Extension, 26(1), 86–91. https://doi.org/10.4314/jae.v26i1.11S
Chukwunweike, A. B. (2023). Critical analysis of factors affecting land use allocation in Delta State, Nigeria, 2012–2022. International Journal of Science and Research Archive, 10(1), 941–950. https://doi.org/10.30574/ijsra.2023.10.1.0846
Ejiogu, O. A. (2018). Agricultural finance and opportunities for investment and expansion. In [Editor name(s) needed], the role of agriculture in the development process (pp. [page range needed]). IGI Global.
Fan, S., Pandya-Lorch, R., & Yosef, S. (Eds.). (2009). Millions fed: Proven successes in agricultural development. International Food Policy Research Institute.
Food and Agriculture Organization. (2025). Smallholders data portrait. Family Farming Knowledge Platform. http://www.fao.org/family-farming/data-sources/dataportrait/farm-size/en
Ibrahim, E. S., Nendel, C., Ajayi, A. E., Berg-Mohnicke, M., & Schulz, S. (2025). Simulating and mapping the risks and impact of fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda) and white grub (Holotrichia serrata) in maize production outlooks for Nigeria under climate change. Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment, 385, Article 109534. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agee.2025.109534
Ikuemonisan, E. S. (2024). Challenges and strategies in Nigerian agribusiness entrepreneurship for sustainable development. CABI Agriculture and Bioscience, 5, Article 115. https://doi.org/10.1186/s43170-024-00303-5
Izuogu, C. U., Ekumankama, O. O., Njoku, L. C., Umeh, N. E., Igwe, O. O., Ekweanya, N. M., & Kenyode, E. O. (2025). Digitalization of climate-smart agriculture in Nigeria: A systematic review. CABI Reviews, 20(1), Article 0074.
Mohammed, S. D., Suleiman, N. A., Olamide, B. S., Olamide, K. M., & Yusuf, M. O. (2024). The contribution of value added tax to federally collected revenue in Nigeria: A trend analysis 1994–2022 (Preprint). Research Square. https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-4189081/v1
Ogunniyi, A., Babu, S. C., Balana, B., & Andam, K. S. (2020). National extension policy and state-level implementation: The case of Cross River State, Nigeria (IFPRI Discussion Paper No. 1951). International Food Policy Research Institute. https://www.ifpri.org/publication/national-extension-policy-and-state-
Ojumu, F. O., Aminu, O. O., & Oyesola, O. B. (2023). Constraints to livestock production among rural households in Southwest Nigeria. Journal of Agricultural Extension, 28(1), 68–77.
Olomola, A. S., & Nwafor, M. (2018). Nigeria agriculture sector performance review: A background report for the Nigeria 2017 agriculture joint sector review [Publisher information needed].
Olomu, M. O., Ekperiware, M. C., & Akinlo, T. (2020). Agricultural sector value chain and government policy in Nigeria: Issues, challenges and prospects. African Journal of Economic and Management Studies, 11(3), 525–538. https://doi.org/10.1108/AJEMS-03-2019-0103
Oluwatayo, I. B., Omowunmi, T., & Ojo, A. O. (2019). Land acquisition and use in Nigeria: Implications for sustainable food and livelihood security. In L. C. Loures (Ed.), Land use: Assessing the past, envisioning the future (pp. 91–110). IntechOpen.
Oweibia, M., Elemuwa, U. G., Akpan, E., Elemuwa, E. T. D., Oruikor, G. J., Tarimobowei, E., Okoho, E. E., Elemuwa, C. O., Raimi, M. O., & Babatunde, A. A. (2024). Analyzing Nigeria's journey towards sustainable development goals: A comprehensive review from inception to present. F1000Research, 13, Article 984. https://doi.org/10.12688/f1000research.148020.1
Sadiq, S. M., Singh, I. P., Ahmad, M. M., & Sani, B. S. (2025). Post-Buharinomics agriculture in Nigeria: What next for policy, practice, and productivity? Moroccan Journal of Agricultural Sciences, 6(4), 282–290.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
Categories
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Akindele Akintola, Segun Bamidele Fakayode
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
