JALINGO, Nigeria — Governors in Nigeria’s Northeast are demanding urgent federal intervention as rising costs of farm inputs threaten food security in the region.
In a communiqué issued after their 12th Forum meeting in Taraba State, the governors warned that prohibitive prices of seeds, fertiliser, and irrigation equipment could cripple food production.
“The prohibitive prices of seeds, fertiliser, and other inputs could undermine food production unless urgent interventions are made,” said Yobe Governor Mai Mala Buni, who read the communiqué. “We call on the Federal Government to consider subsidies, particularly on irrigation farming, to safeguard farmers’ livelihoods.”
The governors also raised alarm over the growing impact of climate change and the risk of floods. They urged federal agencies to relocate vulnerable communities and repair infrastructure destroyed by flooding.
Other resolutions included reviving the Northeast Trade Fair in Maiduguri in December 2025, supporting the University of Maiduguri’s 50th anniversary, and developing a regional solar energy masterplan.
While acknowledging gains against insurgency, the governors warned farming communities remain exposed. “We must consolidate security progress to enable farmers to return to their fields,” the communiqué added.
The meeting highlights the precarious balance between security, climate resilience, and agricultural productivity in a region heavily dependent on farming.
