Former Anambra State Governor and 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, says Nigeria has the potential to earn more revenue from agriculture than from crude oil if the government prioritises purposeful leadership, investment, and value-chain development.
Speaking on Thursday in Abuja at the Sahel Food Systems Changemakers Conference 2025, themed “Designing for Legacy: Building Resilient and Impact-Driven Food Systems,” Obi stressed that agriculture remains the most viable path to sustainable economic growth.
The event, organised by Sahel Consulting, brought together key figures in agribusiness and development, including Sahel Consulting Chairperson Mezue Nwuneli, ONE Campaign CEO Ndidi Nwuneli, Inga Stefanowicz of the EU Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS, GAIN Country Director Michael Ojo, CARE International Country Director Dr. Hussaini Abdu, Heifer International Country Director Lekan Tobe, and GIZ Deputy Country Director Oladoyin Olawaiye.
Obi lamented that despite Nigeria’s vast arable land and abundant human resources, millions still suffer from hunger. He described the situation as “unacceptable,” adding that the nation has all it takes to achieve self-sufficiency in food production.
“No Nigerian should go to bed hungry. We are blessed with fertile land and human capacity. Nigeria should not be among the hungriest nations in the world — we should be feeding ourselves and exporting,” he said.
Citing Bangladesh as an example, Obi noted that the Asian country, with a smaller land area comparable to Niger and Borno states combined, produces nearly ten times more rice than Nigeria.
“This shows our problem is not capacity but commitment and leadership,” he said.
Obi also toured exhibition stands featuring innovative agribusinesses such as AACE Foods, SEM Food and Prices, Dmore Foods, and CHC Agritech Africa. He commended the entrepreneurs for their role in building the agricultural value chain and urged stronger support for small and medium enterprises (SMEs).
He emphasised that with the right policies and enabling environment, agriculture could replace oil as Nigeria’s top income source.
“Nigeria can earn more from agriculture than oil. To move forward, we must shift from consumption to production and from dependency to productivity,” he stated.
Obi concluded by expressing optimism about Nigeria’s agricultural potential, saying the country’s farmers and innovators are ready to drive growth if the government provides the right support.
“Our youths are ready, our entrepreneurs are ready — government must now create the enabling environment. A new Nigeria is possible,” he affirmed.
