By Ahmed Ahmed
Nigeria’s effort to strengthen food security is moving beyond production and into the legal framework governing agriculture, as the federal government begins the second phase of a review of 18 agricultural laws considered important to the transformation of the sector.
The review is aimed at replacing obsolete provisions and closing regulatory gaps with a modern framework capable of supporting food sovereignty, investment and sustainable agricultural development.
The development was disclosed by the Director, Legal Services, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Mrs. Hafsat Belgore, at a retreat in Abuja.
Belgore, who was represented by the Assistant Legal Adviser in the Ministry, Manbyen Mamvong, said that the first phase of the exercise had identified obsolete provisions, regulatory gaps and overlapping mandates across the agricultural legal framework.
The second phase is expected to move the process from identification to reform. According to Belgore, it will validate the findings of the first phase, develop reform proposals and incorporate sector-specific contributions from stakeholders.
The review is also being aligned with the Renewed Hope Agenda and international best practices, reflecting the Ministry’s effort to ensure that agricultural legislation responds to the changing realities of food production and investment.
Belgore urged participants to approach the exercise with frank, constructive and forward-looking contributions. She assured stakeholders that their inputs would be captured and translated into robust legal drafts capable of reflecting current realities.
The review has attracted legislative attention because the laws under consideration provide part of the framework within which farmers, investors, regulators and agricultural institutions operate.
The Chairman, House Committee on Agricultural Production Services, Bello Ka’oje, represented by the Deputy Chairman, Kelechi Nwogu, described the review of the 18 agricultural laws as crucial to keeping Nigeria’s agricultural framework relevant.
The need for legislative reform has become more pronounced as the sector confronts challenges that were either less prominent or insufficiently addressed when some of the existing provisions were developed.
Among the emerging issues being considered are climate change, mechanisation, agricultural technology, private-sector investment and the broader transformation of food systems.
These developments are changing the way agriculture is produced, financed, regulated and connected to markets. For the legal framework to remain effective, the review must therefore account for the growing role of technology, investment and climate resilience alongside traditional agricultural concerns.
A Consultant and Lead Partner Lawyer, Mr. Emeka Ogenyi, said that the retreat would help harmonise approved amendments before their submission to the Ministry of Justice.
The objective, he explained, is to create coherent laws capable of supporting sustainable agricultural development and investment.
The emphasis on harmonisation is significant because overlapping mandates and inconsistencies in legislation can complicate regulation and create uncertainty for those operating within the agricultural value chain.
The review therefore provides an opportunity to bring different pieces of legislation into greater alignment while responding to the changing needs of farmers, agricultural businesses and investors.
For the federal government, the exercise forms part of the wider effort to strengthen the foundations of food security. A functional agricultural system requires not only farmers and productive land, but also clear rules, effective institutions and legislation capable of supporting investment and innovation.
The participation of lawmakers, legal experts, agricultural agencies and other stakeholders is consequently central to the process.
Participants at the Abuja retreat included members of the National Assembly, representatives of the Ministry of Justice, directors from the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, agricultural agencies, legal experts and other stakeholders involved in developing the proposed amendments.
The second phase will therefore determine how the findings from the initial review are translated into specific legislative proposals.
At stake is not simply the amendment of 18 laws, but the creation of a regulatory environment capable of keeping pace with Nigeria’s changing agricultural economy.
With climate change affecting production conditions, mechanisation reshaping farming, technology creating new opportunities and private capital becoming increasingly important to agricultural development, the legal framework will have to accommodate a sector that is becoming more complex and investment-driven.
The exercise ultimately places law at the centre of Nigeria’s food security ambitions. If the proposed reforms produce clearer mandates, close regulatory gaps and provide greater certainty for agricultural investment, they could strengthen the institutional foundation on which the country’s food system depends.
