Food and beverage imports into Nigeria surged by 45 percent to ₦677.3 billion in the first half of 2025.
Data from the National Bureau of Statistics showed that household consumption imports rose sharply. Meanwhile, locally produced Nigerian food options continued to struggle amid insecurity, poor infrastructure, and inconsistent government policy.
The Chairman of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s Agricultural Group, Tunde Banjoko, said Nigerians had lost trust in the quality of local food products.
He attributed the issue to weak funding, poor storage systems, and a lack of competitiveness in pricing and quality control.
He advised the government to strengthen commodity boards, fund agribusinesses, and guarantee product offtake. These measures are essential to stabilise the Nigerian food market and support local producers.
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The President of the Association of Small Business Owners of Nigeria, Dr Femi Egbesola, linked the rising import bill to insecurity and low adoption of modern farming technology.
He said many Nigerian food farmlands had been abandoned due to violence and displacement, resulting in a collapse of primary food production.
Egbesola added that Nigeria’s farming output remained far below global standards. He urged the government to mechanise agriculture and encourage investment in local production.
The Director of the Centre for the Promotion of Private Enterprise, Dr Muda Yusuf, said the surge in food imports was driven by increased demand for wheat-based products and government import waivers. He noted that currency depreciation had inflated import values despite stagnant physical volumes.
The Director-General of the Nigerian Association of Small and Medium Enterprises, Eke Ubiji, cautioned that the spike in imports did not reflect improved living conditions. He argued that inflation had reduced consumers’ purchasing power. He argued that inflation had reduced consumers’ purchasing power, impacting Nigeria’s food accessibility.
Experts agreed that reversing Nigeria’s dependence on imported food requires urgent policy alignment and security reforms. Investment in the local Nigerian food value chains is also necessary to achieve sustainable food security.
