Abuja: The Federal Government has announced that Nigeria is responsible for 67 percent of the world’s yam production, with an annual yield of 67.2 million metric tonnes. Sen. Aliyu Abdullahi, the Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, revealed this at the National Yam Advocacy Summit in Abuja.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the event was organized by the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) in collaboration with the ministry, focusing on transforming the yam value chain and enhancing seed technologies.
The summit, themed ‘Catalysing a National Agenda for Yam Value Chain Transformation and Improved Seed Technologies’, aimed to modernize and boost productivity in the yam sector. Abdullahi highlighted that despite the impressive production figures, Nigeria only meets part of its estimated national demand of 120 million metric tonnes, leaving a shortfall of over 50 million metric tonnes. This gap underscores the untapped potential in the sector and the pressing need for modernization and increased productivity to capture both domestic and international market opportunities.
The minister praised IITA’s efforts in strengthening the yam value chain, emphasizing yam’s significance as a symbol of prosperity and resilience for millions of Nigerians. He noted that agricultural transformation is a priority under the Renewed Hope Agenda, referencing President Bola Tinubu’s 2023 declaration of a State of Emergency on Food Security, which called for data-driven and coordinated interventions.
Abdullahi outlined the ‘Ramping Up Staple Crops Production for Renewed Hope Food Security’ program, developed by a high-level technical team in March 2025. This initiative leverages mechanization, cluster-based farming, post-harvest loss reduction, and market integration, adopting global best practices and realistic projections. Yam is classified as a Tier-1 crop, highlighting its importance to national food security and economic growth.
He further stated the ministry’s commitment to farmer training, extension services, access to finance, and value-added processing, aiming to position Nigeria as a major exporter of yam products. He stressed that transforming the yam sector requires collaboration among various stakeholders, including MDAs, research institutions, private investors, and farmer cooperatives.
Aboulaiye Tahirou, IITA Deputy Director General, added that the summit seeks to utilize improved seed systems to promote development across the yam value chain, enhance livelihoods, food security, and preserve natural resources. He called for the expansion of seed technologies through last-mile seed entrepreneurs, emphasizing the importance of protecting and ensuring yam availability for the Nigerian populace.