Bashir Ahmad, former special assistant on digital communications to the late President Muhammadu Buhari, has revealed that many intervention programmes aimed at supporting farmers during the last administration were severely mismanaged and exploited by beneficiaries.
Ahmad made the disclosure in a post on X (formerly Twitter)
while reacting to public criticism of the federal government’s plan to issue
food import waivers as a short-term solution to rising food prices.
One user, Yakubu Wudil, had questioned the rationale behind
the waiver, suggesting that the government should instead subsidise
fertilisers, fuel, and provide modern farm equipment for local farmers.
Responding, Ahmad said such interventions were already
provided under Buhari through initiatives like the Anchor Borrowers’ Programme
(ABP), but were undermined by corruption and misuse.
“Billions of Naira were allocated to farmers with the goals
of achieving food security, reducing poverty, and curbing unemployment and
insecurity,” Ahmad wrote.
Launched in 2015, the ABP was designed to link smallholder
farmers with anchor companies to boost domestic food production. By 2023, the
Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) said it had disbursed ₦1.09 trillion under the
programme.
Ahmad, however, claimed that many of the beneficiaries
diverted the funds into non-agricultural ventures.
“Some farmers received loans running into billions, some
even up to ₦6 billion, but instead of investing in agriculture, many diverted
the funds to other sectors like oil and gas, bureau de change, and other luxury
ventures,” he said.
“Those who actually
farmed? After harvesting, they hoarded their produce, waiting for prices to
spike so they could make exaggerated profits, at the expense of the same masses
the initiative was meant to support.”
In 2023, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) reported that
only 24 percent of ABP loans had been repaid. The CBN, however, countered that
the actual repayment rate was 52 percent.
Ahmad also addressed the controversial border closure policy
under Buhari, which aimed to reduce food imports and boost local production. He
acknowledged that the policy faced heavy criticism, but insisted it had
positive outcomes.
“The policy was misunderstood and widely attacked — even
when the signs of success were evident. Rice importation dropped, and many
Nigerians were pulled out of extreme poverty,” he stated.
He accused several beneficiaries of forming cartels and
manipulating the food supply chain.
“They didn’t help stabilize food prices. Instead, they
formed cartels, manipulated supply and created artificial scarcity to make
outrageous profits,” he said, adding that many are now under investigation by
the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Ahmad said while he supports the recent food import waiver,
it should not become a long-term strategy.
“It shouldn’t be the go-to option,” he said. “But it has
become the only immediate relief available to reduce hunger and suffering in
the short term.”
“The long-term
solution still lies in reviving and properly monitoring agricultural
interventions, but for now, the people need to feed, first.”
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