2027 Presidential Aspirant Atiku Blames FG for Agricultural Trade Deficit

News in Brief:

— Atiku Abubakar says Nigeria’s agricultural trade balance moved from a ₦740.27 billion surplus in the first half of 2025 to a ₦56.13 billion deficit in the first half of 2026.

— The former vice president links the reversal to insecurity, high production costs and weak domestic processing, while calling for stronger support for farmers and local producers.

African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar has accused the Bola Tinubu administration of not supporting farmers and domestic producers. He cites a sharp reversal in Nigeria’s agricultural trade balance.

His latest government-targeted tirade was contained in a statement issued by Phrank Shaibu, the ADC Presidential Campaign Council's Director of Strategic Communication.

According to Atiku, Nigeria’s agricultural trade moved from a ₦740.27 billion surplus in the first half of 2025 to a ₦56.13 billion deficit in the corresponding period of 2026. He described the swing as evidence of worsening pressure on the agricultural sector.

“Tinubu cannot call this reform when the people who grow our food and the businesses that should process it are being squeezed from both sides,” Atiku said.

Atiku Questions Decline in Agricultural Exports

The former vice president said agricultural exports fell by 33.3 per cent during the period. He believes that the fall in exports deserved greater attention because it represents a loss of potential foreign exchange earnings for the country.

“The excuse that Nigerians simply imported too much will not stand. Tinubu’s government must answer for the collapse in what Nigeria sold to the world,” he said.

Atiku also questioned the administration’s efforts to address structural challenges facing farmers, particularly insecurity, transport costs and the operating environment for agro-processors and manufacturers.

“Farmers cannot cultivate promises. Manufacturers cannot power factories with speeches. Workers cannot feed their families on assurances that prosperity is coming,” he said.

Atiku pointed to Nigeria’s continued reliance on exports of largely unprocessed agricultural commodities, citing cashew nuts in shell and cocoa beans among the country’s leading agricultural exports. He argued that Nigeria could capture more value from its agricultural production and create jobs with increased domestic processing.

“We grow the crop. Someone else does more of the processing, builds a business around it and earns the larger return,” Atiku said.

He urged the government to take responsibility for the country’s agricultural trade performance, while acknowledging that a trade deficit alone does not explain all the challenges confronting farmers.

Atiku Proposes Production Subsidy for Local Refineries

Atiku proposed a production subsidy on petroleum products refined in Nigeria. He said the proposed subsidy would apply to qualifying products produced by Nigerian refineries, including modular refineries, while imported products would not qualify.

The scheme could be capped, included in the budget and independently audited, with mechanisms to ensure the resulting savings reach consumers and businesses.

Atiku also criticised the administration’s Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) initiative, arguing that the cost of vehicle conversion remained out of reach for many Nigerians. He said difficulties accessing conversion kits and the limited availability of buses presented as palliatives had reduced its practical impact.