ADC faults ‘artificial’ food price drop, says it offers short-lived relief
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has called on the federal government to urgently reform Nigeria’s agricultural strategy to achieve lasting food price stability and sustainable food security.
In a statement issued on Monday in Abuja, Bolaji Abdullahi, the party’s national publicity secretary, said the government must adopt policies that protect local producers, safeguard farmers’ lives, and promote true food sovereignty.
Abdullahi described the current drop in food prices as “artificial and misleading,” arguing that it does not reflect the harsh realities faced by farmers and households across the country.
“The reported drop in prices of some food items is artificial, driven by import waivers flooding markets with cheap foreign food and undermining Nigeria’s local agricultural resilience,” he said.
“It is not evidence of effective policy or increased production; instead, it offers short-lived relief at the long-term expense of hardworking local farmers.”
He warned that the situation is hurting domestic producers who already struggle with high input costs, particularly fertilisers, and worsening insecurity in rural areas.
“We find it disturbing for the government to claim its policies are boosting production while countless farmers remain displaced daily by persistent bandit attacks,” Abdullahi added.
“Those still farming are struggling to afford planting costs, forcing many to abandon cultivation altogether.”
The ADC spokesperson stressed that production cannot increase amid violent attacks, inflation, and high input costs that continue to discourage agricultural participation.
He noted that the current decline in food prices was temporary and unsustainable, driven by panic rather than deliberate planning or effective policy.
The party therefore urged the government to prioritise rural security, strengthen local agricultural capacity, and pursue long-term food sovereignty beyond political expediency.
