Vice President Kashim Shettima has described food security as a macroeconomic, security, and governance priority, stressing that it goes beyond agriculture alone. Speaking at the World Economic Forum 2026 panel “When Food Becomes Security,” he highlighted Nigeria’s multi-dimensional strategy for achieving food sovereignty and strengthening national stability.

He emphasised that the strategy is built around several key pillars. First, food security is being used as a foundation for national and regional cohesion. Second, the government plans to establish “Food Security Corridors” to protect the nation’s major food-producing zones and ensure steady supply chains. Third, aggressive import substitution is being pursued to curb inflation and reduce foreign exchange volatility by boosting local production. Fourth, farming is being repositioned as a business, supported by mechanisation, innovation, and active private sector participation.

The Vice President also noted critical interventions supporting these pillars, including the Back to the Farm Initiative and the deployment of climate-resilient crop varieties, aimed at increasing agricultural productivity and resilience to climate change.

Shettima concluded that these combined efforts are central to ensuring sustainable food sufficiency, enhancing economic stability, and reinforcing governance frameworks that link agriculture with broader national development goals.