Atiku decries collapse of agricultural exports

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has criticized the Nigerian government for a sharp decline in the country's agricultural trade balance, stating that the nation is losing export earnings while farmers and manufacturers face challenges due to insecurity and high production costs. According to data from the National Bureau of Statistics, Nigeria's agricultural trade shifted from a ₦740.27bn surplus in the first half of 2025 to a ₦56.13bn deficit in the same period of 2026, marking a ₦796.40bn reversal.

Atiku attributes this development to failures in the government's agricultural and industrial policies, noting that Nigeria is exporting raw agricultural commodities without capturing sufficient value through processing. He argues that Tinubu's government cannot claim reform when farmers and businesses are being squeezed from all sides.

Atiku's concerns include the decline in agricultural exports by 33.3% and lower but slower declines in imports. He points to increased imports, insecurity, high production costs, and inadequate conditions for domestic processing as key obstacles. Despite acknowledging that the agricultural trade balance alone does not fully explain every sector issue, Atiku insists the government should take responsibility for its policies.

He also proposes a production subsidy for locally refined petroleum products, aiming to support domestic refining and create jobs. However, he criticizes the government's compressed natural gas initiative, citing limited benefits due to high costs and unavailability of conversion kits.