Africa spends $55bn annually on food imports — Gov. Bago

By Baba Alfa, Minna

Niger State Governor, Muhammad Umaru Bago, has raised concerns about Africa’s increasing reliance on food imports, revealing that the continent spends $55 billion annually on importing food and agricultural products, including maize, wheat, oils, rice, and more.

He voiced his worries about the unsustainable nature of this dependence and urged African leaders to capitalise on the continent’s abundant agricultural potential in order to reduce these import costs.

Governor Bago made these comments during a meeting with officials of Arab Contractors in Cairo, Egypt, following his successful negotiation of an agreement with the Egyptian company to enhance agricultural production.

He stressed the necessity for a collective effort among African governments to make full use of the continent’s vast agricultural resources, which remain largely untapped.

“Africa has more than enough potential to meet its food requirements. Niger State alone boasts over 1,850 kilometers of riverfront land for irrigation, along with a youthful population and 5 million hectares of arable land capable of producing 50 million tons of food annually,” Bago explained.

Meanwhile, the global chairman of Arab Contractors, Ahmed Moustafa El Assar, committed to visiting Niger State in May 2025. He was accompanied by officials from the Egyptian Ministry of Agriculture and the Ministry of Irrigation Development, with the goal of exploring how agricultural development opportunities could be maximised.

El Assar reaffirmed Egypt’s dedication to both its own food security and that of Nigeria. The visit is anticipated to strengthen collaboration between the two nations in the agriculture and irrigation sectors.