The Bola Tinubu-led administration reportedly spent N9.74 billion on procuring and distributing food palliatives in 2024 to address Nigeria’s widespread food crisis.
The information was disclosed by BudgIT, a civic-tech organisation advocating for transparency in governance, through its GovSpend platform.
According to the report, the funds were allocated to supply essential food items such as rice, beans, maize, and garri.
The initiative was spearheaded by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, which oversaw payments to contractors for distributing these foodstuffs to various federal constituencies across the nation.
Key Distribution Details
The report highlighted that payments averaging N85.45 million were made per constituency between February and November 2024. Beneficiary states included Kano, Ogun, Osun, Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Adamawa, Kaduna, Jigawa, Ekiti, Oyo, Lagos, Bauchi, Rivers, Borno, Sokoto, and Enugu.
The effort aimed to alleviate hunger, especially in vulnerable communities. However, questions have been raised about the programme’s long-term effectiveness in addressing the root causes of food insecurity.
Criticisms of the Palliative Approach
Experts have argued that while food distribution helps address immediate hunger, it fails to tackle underlying systemic issues in Nigeria’s agricultural sector. Shedrach Israel, an economist at Lotus Beta Analytics, described the palliative initiative as a temporary fix.
“Food palliatives are essential for immediate relief but do not address the root causes of food insecurity, such as inflation and agricultural deficiencies,” Israel stated. He advocated for policies that promote agricultural innovation and infrastructure development to create sustainable solutions.
Similarly, La’ah Dauda, an agricultural economist in Kaduna, stressed the importance of a holistic approach. “The government’s reliance on palliatives does not solve critical issues like inadequate irrigation, poor storage facilities, and limited market access, all of which hinder agricultural productivity,” he said.
Calls for Sustainable Solutions
Both experts agreed that the N9.74 billion spent on palliatives could have been more effectively invested in boosting local agricultural productivity, improving distribution networks, and enhancing infrastructure to address the food crisis sustainably.
As food insecurity persists in Nigeria, stakeholders are urging the government to shift its focus from temporary relief measures to long-term agricultural and economic reforms.