Nigeria’s agriculture sector recorded significant growth in the second quarter of 2026, with economist Ephraim Audu describing the performance as evidence of the resilience of Nigerian farmers despite the difficult conditions facing the sector.
Audu, who is the President of the Agricultural Agenda Nigeria Initiative (AANI), made the assessment in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja.
According to data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), Nigeria’s real Gross Domestic Product grew by 4.43 per cent year-on-year in the second quarter of 2026, compared with 4.23 per cent recorded in the same quarter of 2025.
The agriculture sector also performed better, growing by 4.39 per cent in Q2 2026, compared with just 2.82 per cent in Q2 2025.
Crop production drives growth
Crop production was one of the major contributors to the country’s economic output during the quarter.
The NBS figures showed that crop production contributed 17.66 per cent to total real GDP in Q2 2026. It was the second-largest contributor, behind trade, which contributed 17.93 per cent.
Audu said the figures showed that Nigerian farmers had continued producing food despite challenges affecting agricultural communities.
He described the growth as encouraging but warned that the improvement should not be interpreted as proof that all the sector’s problems have been solved.
Farmers continue to face challenges
Nigerian farmers continue to deal with several difficulties, including insecurity, rising production costs, limited access to finance, inadequate infrastructure and problems moving farm produce from rural communities to markets.
These challenges can make farming more expensive and reduce the profitability of agricultural activities.
Audu therefore stressed the need for structural reforms that can make the sector more productive and sustainable.
Need for long-term reforms
The economist said the latest growth figures demonstrate the potential of agriculture to contribute more significantly to Nigeria’s economic development.
However, he argued that government and other stakeholders need to address the underlying problems affecting farmers rather than relying solely on their resilience.
Improving access to inputs, financing, infrastructure and markets would help farmers increase production and earn better incomes.
Greater investment in agriculture could also help Nigeria strengthen food security and reduce dependence on imported food.
Agriculture’s wider importance
Agriculture remains an important part of Nigeria’s economy because millions of Nigerians depend directly or indirectly on farming and related activities.
Strong agricultural performance can support employment, food production and rural economic activity.
The Q2 figures therefore provide some positive news for the sector, particularly at a time when food prices and the cost of agricultural production remain major concerns for households and businesses.
However, sustaining the current growth will depend on whether the country can address the structural problems limiting farmers’ ability to expand production.
For Nigerian farmers, the latest figures show that their efforts are contributing significantly to economic growth. For policymakers, the figures also highlight the need to create better conditions that will allow the sector to grow beyond its current level.
