President Bola Tinubu has ordered urgent action to curb food prices, and he directed the Federal Executive Council to guarantee the free movement of farm produce across the country.
Tackling Transport Costs
Speaking in Abuja during a capacity-building workshop for Senate correspondents, the Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, revealed the President’s instruction.
He stressed that transportation costs drive food inflation.
“Farmers and traders spend huge sums to move commodities before they reach markets, and that explains why prices soar at the point of sale,” he said.
To respond quickly, a council committee now works on measures that will secure safe passage for agricultural goods along transport routes.
Abdullahi explained that the directive aligns with Tinubu’s food sovereignty agenda, which goes beyond self-sufficiency to ensure availability, accessibility, affordability, nutrition, and sustainability.
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New Initiatives Ahead
Furthermore, the government plans to roll out fresh initiatives.
It will introduce the Farmer Soil Health Scheme to boost crop productivity and launch a cooperative reform programme to mobilise resources and drive grassroots economic activity.
“The President shows strong interest in the cooperative sector as a tool to create opportunities and improve livelihoods,” Abdullahi added.
In addition, the workshop—titled “Parliamentary Reporting: Issues, Challenges and Responsibilities”—drew leading voices.
Senate spokesperson Senator Yemi Adaramodu, Senator Ita Solomon Enang, and Professor Abubakar Sulaiman, Director-General of the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS), all joined the discussions.
