Daura, Katsina State — July 15, 2025

As Nigeria mourns the passing of former President Muhammadu Buhari, agricultural expert and food security advocate, Paschal Nnaemeka, has released a statement highlighting the late president’s contribution to Nigeria’s agricultural transformation.

Speaking from his base in South West Nigeria, Nnaemeka noted that while he was not a supporter of the broader Buhari administration, it would be intellectually dishonest to ignore the positive impact the former president had on Nigeria’s agricultural sector.
“I was never a fan of Buhari’s presidency in its entirety,” Nnaemeka stated. “But as an agricultural professional, I must give credit where it is due. His administration took bold steps that changed the face of agriculture in Nigeria.”
Nnaemeka cited the Anchor Borrowers’ Programme, which provided financing and support to over 4 million smallholder farmers, and the Presidential Fertilizer Initiative, which revived moribund blending plants and drastically reduced input costs.
“Those initiatives improved access to credit and fertilizers and helped raise food production particularly in rice, maize, and cassava. We also saw a significant boost in local processing capacity and a shift toward mechanization.”

He acknowledged that Buhari’s border closure policy, though controversial, gave local farmers a fighting chance by limiting competition from smuggled produce and encouraging investment in domestic value chains.
“Buhari brought agriculture back to the center of national discourse. He made it clear that Nigeria cannot build a sustainable future on imports alone. That mindset shift is one of his greatest legacies.”

While he noted that insecurity and inconsistent implementation limited the full realization of these efforts, Nnaemeka urged policymakers to build on the agricultural foundation laid during Buhari’s tenure.
Former President Muhammadu Buhari was buried earlier today in his hometown of Daura, Katsina State, amid tributes from across the political and public spectrum.