Vice-President Kashim Shettima has said that under President Bola Tinubu’s leadership, Nigeria is experiencing a renewed sense of purpose and national awakening.
He made the remarks during a high-level panel discussion titled “When Food Becomes Security” at the Congress Centre during the 56th World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland.
Shettima expressed optimism that the ongoing Renewed Hope Agenda reforms will translate into practical climate adaptation initiatives and a significant increase in intra-African trade, surpassing the current 10.7 percent benchmark.
He added that the Tinubu-led Federal Government is working to make smallholders and fishers financially viable and investable within the next 12 months.
Highlighting a strategic shift, Shettima said Nigeria no longer approaches food security as merely an agricultural concern but as a critical component of macroeconomic stability, governance, and national security.
“The Federal Government has launched a multi-dimensional agricultural drive to shield the nation from global shocks and restore productivity across key food-producing regions,” he explained.
He noted that Nigeria’s food security strategy rests on three pillars: increased domestic food production, environmental sustainability, and stronger regional integration within West Africa.
Shettima highlighted that changing global trends and supply chain disruptions have prompted Nigeria to rebuild resilient food systems suited to the country’s diverse ecological zones. “In the Sahelian North, we face desertification, deforestation, and drought. In the riverine South and parts of the North Central region, flooding remains a major challenge,” he said.
The Vice-President added that the government is promoting drought-resistant, flood-tolerant, and early-maturing varieties of staple crops such as rice, sorghum, and millet, while redesigning food systems in flood-prone areas to withstand climate shocks.
Acknowledging the security challenges in Nigeria’s primary food-producing zones, he said, “Most of our nation’s food baskets are located in conflict-affected areas. That is why we are creating food security corridors and strengthening community-based security measures so farmers can safely return to their land.”
Shettima disclosed the launch of the Back to the Farm Initiative, aimed at resettling displaced farmers by providing agricultural inputs, insurance, and access to capital to restart food production.
He also identified import dependence and foreign exchange volatility as key drivers of food inflation. “We largely import wheat, sugar, and dairy products, which directly impacts inflation. Our strategy is to accelerate local production and promote substitutes such as sorghum, millet, and cassava flour to address these structural challenges,” he said.
The Vice-President concluded by urging African nations to leverage the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) to strengthen internal capacities and promote food security as a driver of economic stability, regional cooperation, and national resilience.