Rethinking Agricultural Trade: Nigeria and U.S. Partners, Explore Fresh Pathways To Food Security
With food inflation hitting 30.6% in 2023 and staples like rice and beef more than doubling in price, Nigeria’s quest for food security has never been more urgent.
Experts say that restrictive trade policies meant to boost local production are instead fuelling informal trade, driving up costs, and reducing food safety oversight.
It was against this backdrop that the U.S. Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS), the Nigerian-American Chamber of Commerce (NACC) Kaduna Chapter, and the Nigeria Agribusiness Group (NABG) convened a two-day roundtable in Lagos on September 25–26, 2025.
Themed “Innovative Approaches to Agricultural Trade for Economic Growth and Food Security”, the forum brought together legislators, policy advisors, agribusiness leaders, and researchers.
Nigerian-led research presented at the event revealed that current trade restrictions have exacerbated food price instability, widened production gaps, and pushed trade into unregulated channels.
Experts urged a shift towards more predictable and harmonised policies, with case studies from countries like Colombia and South Africa showing how easing import restrictions can actually strengthen domestic production and exports.
“The roundtable provided a unique platform to exchange ideas and explore innovative agricultural trade policies that benefit consumers and farmers from both Nigeria and the United States,” said Christopher Bielecki, Agricultural Counsellor for FAS in Lagos.
Participants called for investment in infrastructure, adoption of innovative trading mechanisms, and stronger collaboration across borders, particularly through frameworks like the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
For NABG Director General, Jafar Umar, the message was clear: “This roundtable is both timely and highly relevant to advancing trade and strengthening food security.
We look forward to deepening our collaboration through many more impactful engagements in the future.”
