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From Okwe Obi, Abuja
For the umpteenth time, the federal government has pledged a major cleanup of Nigeria’s farmers’ register by deploying the National Identity Management Commission’s digital identity system to distinguish genuine farmers from ghost beneficiaries.
The initiative, if sincerely implemented, is expected to improve the credibility of agricultural databases, ensure that subsidies, loans and other interventions reach real food producers, and curb fraud that has long undermined government support programmes.
Experts say the exercise will also strengthen planning, boost transparency and enhance food security across the country.
For emphasis, this is not the first time the federal government has made this promise of cleaning up farmers’ register.
Nonetheless, the issue resurrected recently when the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Abubakar Kyari, hosted an NIMC Delegation led by the Director General, Abisoye Coker-Odusote, in Abuja.
Kyari revealed that the ministry had begun deploying NIMC’s identity management infrastructure to identify genuine beneficiaries of its intervention programmes.
According to him, the initiative has improved transparency and contributed to increased women and youth participation in agriculture. The minister explained that the collaboration will leverage the National Identification Number (NIN) and NIMC’s identity verification platform to authenticate beneficiaries of government agricultural programmes, to, also, ensure that interventions are targeted only at legitimate farmers and agribusiness entrepreneurs.
Furthermore, he stated that the federal government has restructured its agricultural subsidy programme to promote self-reliance among beneficiaries instead of long-term dependence on government support.
He said: “It shouldn’t be a subsidy that will go on perpetually. We have a plan whereby beneficiaries receive support in the first year, the assistance reduces in the second year, and by the third year they should be able to stand on their own.
“The phased approach will create opportunities for more farmers to access government interventions while encouraging sustainable agricultural production and improved productivity.”
NIMC Director General, Abisoye Coker-Odusote reiterated that agriculture is one of Nigeria’s most strategic sectors because of its critical role in ensuring national food security and driving economic development.
Odusote revealed that the recently enacted NIMC Act 2026 has further strengthened the commission’s mandate as Nigeria’s foundational identity authority, positioning it to support ministries, departments and agencies with secure identity verification and digital authentication services.
She stated that integrating the National Identification Number into agricultural programmes would improve accountability, reduce fraud and eliminate ghost beneficiaries, while ensuring that scarce public resources are directed to the farmers who genuinely need them.
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She pointed out that stronger collaboration between NIMC and the agriculture ministry would also support the federal government’s broader digital transformation agenda by using trusted identity systems to improve public service delivery and enhance the effectiveness of social and economic interventions.
She pledged that NIMC would continue to support the provision of trusted identity verification services to strengthen the credibility of government agricultural interventions.
Also, ActionAid Nigeria said while the government begins the registration process, it would expand its support for young farmers and strengthen interventions across Nigeria’s agricultural sector as part of efforts to boost food security, improve livelihoods and reduce poverty.
Its Food Systems Specialist and Representatives of the Country Director, Azubuike Nwokoye, said the organisation had trained and supported 136,000 smallholder farmers and young people across several states over the past three years through agroecological practices.
Nwokoye said the intervention has led to improved crop yields, higher incomes and greater climate resilience among beneficiaries. “We are really taking leadership to a higher level. We are committed to seeing people come out of poverty across Nigeria through the agriculture sector.
“Within the last three years, we have directly trained and supported 136,000 smallholder farmers and young people on agroecological practices in some states, and they are reporting increased yields, improved livelihoods, higher incomes and greater climate resilience,” he said.
According to him, ActionAid is also investing in leadership development for young farmers to equip them with the skills needed to manage agricultural enterprises and support others within the sector.
He dismissed the notion that young Nigerians lack interest in agriculture, describing it as a misconception.
“In the past, people said young people are not interested in agriculture, but it was just rhetoric. Last year, we reached out to different communities and networks and identified young people who are already actively engaged in farming,” he said.
He added that the organisation would continue to provide policy support and business case analysis to governments to demonstrate the economic benefits of increased investment in agriculture.
Earlier, the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Marcus Ogunbiyi, described the intervention and validation exercise of CAAP as a major milestone in Nigeria’s drive to transform its agri-food system over the next decade.
He said the strategy reflects the country’s commitment to aligning national agricultural priorities with continental goals while building a more competitive, resilient and inclusive food system.
According to Ogunbiyi, the draft strategy was developed through broad consultations involving federal and state governments, development partners, research institutions, private sector organisations, farmers’ associations, women and youth groups, and civil society organisations.
