The Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari, has accused opposition figures of distorting the October 2026 Cadre Harmonisé food security assessment for political purposes, insisting that the projection of 33.5 million Nigerians facing severe food insecurity in 2027 is not an indictment of President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
Kyari, in a press statement issued on Monday, November 2, 2026, said attempts to link the projected food insecurity figure to Tinubu’s possible re-election in 2027 amounted to a deliberate misrepresentation of a technical assessment designed to identify food security risks and guide government interventions.
The minister acknowledged that food and nutrition insecurity remained a serious national challenge but maintained that the findings of the Cadre Harmonisé should be interpreted within their proper technical and seasonal context rather than turned into political propaganda.
He explained that the assessment was developed by the Permanent Interstate Committee for Drought Control in the Sahel (CILSS), in collaboration with regional and technical partners, including the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), World Food Programme (WFP), FEWS NET, UNICEF and other relevant organisations.
According to Kyari, the assessment is an early-warning mechanism for identifying vulnerable populations and supporting timely interventions by governments and development partners, not a forecast of electoral outcomes or the consequences of a particular political administration.
He clarified that the projected 33.5 million Nigerians expected to face severe food and nutrition insecurity between June and August 2027 represented a decline from the 34.8 million projected for the corresponding period in 2026.
Kyari also cautioned against interpreting the figures as evidence that food insecurity would necessarily worsen under a continuation of the Tinubu administration, stressing that the assessment did not make such a political conclusion.
Addressing the factors responsible for food insecurity, the minister identified climate change, irregular rainfall, prolonged dry spells and changing weather patterns associated with the Super El Niño phenomenon as some of the major challenges affecting agricultural production.
He noted that these environmental factors had disrupted planting seasons and made rain-fed agriculture increasingly difficult for farmers in several parts of the country.
The minister further argued that the assessment provided an early warning that should guide policy responses rather than become an instrument for political attacks.
Defending the Federal Government’s agricultural interventions, Kyari said the Tinubu administration was expanding access to fertilisers and other farm inputs, mechanisation, irrigation, dry-season farming, agricultural financing, storage facilities and processing infrastructure.
He added that the government was also promoting climate-resilient agriculture, improving access to farmland and developing agricultural value chains to strengthen food production and supply across the country.
Kyari particularly highlighted improvements in security in some farming communities, saying the development had enabled farmers who previously abandoned their farmlands because of insecurity to return to agricultural activities.
He cited Marte and Guzamala in Borno State as examples of areas where improved stability had made it possible for data collectors to conduct the Cadre Harmonisé assessment after previously facing difficulties accessing the communities.
The minister also listed progress in fertiliser distribution and local blending, support for smallholder farmers, mechanisation partnerships, dry-season agricultural production and improved financing through the Bank of Agriculture as part of the administration’s interventions.
While admitting that the measures would not eliminate food insecurity overnight, Kyari maintained that the challenge was structural and had developed over several years, predating the current administration.
He nevertheless insisted that the government had recorded significant progress in the agricultural sector since Tinubu assumed office, adding that efforts were ongoing to improve food production, strengthen farmers’ livelihoods and build a more resilient agricultural system.
“As Minister, I accept the responsibility that comes with this challenge. When the data identifies a risk, our duty is to act on it, not to hide from it,” Kyari stated.
He urged political actors to exercise caution and responsibility when discussing food security statistics, warning against exploiting the difficulties faced by millions of Nigerians for partisan political interests.
The minister said the government welcomed constructive criticism and public scrutiny but maintained that deliberately misrepresenting a technical assessment for electoral propaganda was unacceptable.
He reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to using the Cadre Harmonisé findings to strengthen agricultural interventions, support farmers, protect livelihoods and improve access to safe, nutritious and affordable food across Nigeria.
