Policy Flip-Flops Stalling Nigeria’s Agricultural Growth, Sanusi Warns

The Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, has warned that frequent policy reversals are undermining Nigeria’s economic and agricultural development.

Sanusi, a former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, spoke yesterday during a joint session of the United Nations World Food Programme and the African Development Bank at the Nigeria Economic Summit in Abuja. The session focused on “Investing in Innovative Food Systems Solutions in Challenging Contexts.”

“The biggest challenge I have seen in this country is the lack of policy continuity. After every election, it is as if we start from scratch,” Sanusi said.

He lamented the failure of the civil service to preserve institutional memory, noting that “every few years, we find ourselves debating the same issues.”

Recalling his tenure at the Central Bank, Sanusi highlighted a study on six agricultural value chains aimed at boosting lending and local production. “We identified 13 tomato varieties suitable for paste production, but outdated laws blocked their commercialisation. We had to push for policy amendments. Yet, before these reforms could take root, the projects were abandoned,” he said.

Sanusi stressed that government alone cannot solve farmers’ challenges. “The role of government is to create an environment that encourages private investment. Policies that undermine producer profits and create non-performing loans will never end poverty or attract investments,” he added.

He urged stability in agricultural policies, linking it to broader development goals such as poverty reduction, security, and inclusive growth. “Fixing the agricultural value chain is key to tackling poverty in northern Nigeria, but this requires continuity from one administration to the next,” the monarch concluded.