By Sar Terver
In rural Nigeria, farmers gather in their fields, talking in worried tones about inputs, fuel, and the federal government’s latest order: to “crash food prices.” To many of them, this feels like a policy made in offices, not on the soil where their survival depends.
President Bola Tinubu recently directed a Federal Executive Council (FEC) committee to bring down food prices across the country as part of his administration’s response to rising inflation and the worsening cost of living. But while the intention may have been to offer relief to consumers, farmers and analysts warn the move could deepen hardship in the long run.
For critics, the problem is clear: the government cannot force down the prices of food crops without reducing the costs of production. Seeds, fertilisers, transport, and labour remain expensive. Gbaka Ephraim from Benue State wrote on Facebook, “You’re crashing prices of food’s stuff without a corresponding crash of farm imputs, what economic application is that?”
Many Nigerians agree. Bem Haanya commented: “Tinubu’s economic policies are nothing short of a disaster. How can he fail to realise that farm produce depend directly on farm inputs?”
Similarly, Tyoyange Benjamin lamented: “It is bad policy, agricultural sector that employ more than half of the country population is completely neglected.”
The numbers back their concerns. According to the National Bureau of Statistics, the cost of farm produce has risen by nearly 29 percent since the start of 2025.
Fertiliser prices have also spiked, with urea and NPK selling for between ₦47,000 and ₦50,000 per bag, compared to about ₦35,000 earlier in the year. For smallholder farmers, these increases mean smaller harvests, higher debts, or giving up farming altogether.
Yet in markets, consumers are told food prices are “falling.” Reports show modest declines in the cost of rice, beans, and garri in recent weeks.
But as many farmers point out, these drops do not translate into profit or sustainability for those who produce the food. Instead, they risk pushing farmers further into poverty.
Social media is filled with anger and perturbations. David Chia described the move as “temporary impoverishment of the poor farmers.”
Another farmer, Ami Xtian, warned: “Most farmers are now discouraged and next year if nothing happens they will not farm again and that food shortage will still happen.”
Transportation and energy costs compound the crisis. “Apart from this, cost of petrol is still high, roads are bad, no electricity, and no steps to address all these,” noted Terwase Uja Emmanuel.
These are not just inconveniences; they are structural barriers that inflate the cost of farming. Without addressing them, farmers argue, food cannot truly be affordable.
Policy experts echo the same fears. Dolapo Bright, a former agriculture aide to former president Mohammadu Buhari of blessed memory, recently argued that Tinubu was misled into thinking that import waivers alone would reduce prices. She warned that without tackling fuel and input costs, the policy will not succeed.
On the streets, the frustration is palpable. Solomon Ogbadibo Agav wrote: “This man doesn’t care about what the poor people feel.” Another user, Ikyaamo Barnabas, added: “What do you expect from leaders who never experienced farming and its allied difficulties? It’s so funny to have this mess as an economic policy.”
The political risk is also real. Some critics believe the government is more concerned with optics than substance. As Teryima Faeren Faeren put it, “The government’s focus on protecting itself from opposition criticism has led to a total neglect of farmers who spent big on acquiring inputs. It’s clear the priority is winning elections, not supporting farmers.”
Not everyone agrees. Abera Williams Aondolumun offered a dissenting perspective: “To my reasoning, government crash prices of commodities when they make it surplus in the market either by encouraging farmers to produce more, not when farmers use their hard-earned resources to produce.” His point however highlights the need for production-led policies, not price controls.
The consequences of ignoring farmers are dire. Reduced investment in agriculture could lead to lower yields, food shortages, and renewed price spikes.
Smallholder farmers, who form the backbone of Nigeria’s food supply, may abandon cultivation altogether, deepening food insecurity.
So, what should have been done? Analysts argue that government must first reduce production costs before addressing consumer prices.
Subsidising inputs, improving rural infrastructure, making fuel affordable, and offering credit to smallholder farmers are some of the urgent steps.
Equally important is transparency. Farmers repeatedly complain that subsidies and support schemes often go to “political farmers” rather than genuine producers. Effective monitoring and fair distribution would ensure that benefits reach those who need them most.
Above all, stability is key. Without addressing inflation, exchange rates, energy, and security, no short-term policy to “crash prices” will last. As one commenter, Elnino Sefa Ohino, observed: “They’re used to short-term solutions! Whatever they do now can’t stand the test of time.”
For now, farmers say they feel abandoned. Their message is that government should crash the cost of fertiliser, seeds, and fuel first—then food will naturally become affordable. Until then, they fear Nigeria is heading for a cycle of temporary relief followed by deeper crises.
The stakes could not be higher. Food is not just a commodity; it is survival. And without farmers at the centre of policy, every attempt to control prices may end up worsening the very hardship government claims it wants to solve.
