The Federal Government of Nigeria has initiated the second phase of reviewing the country's agricultural laws. This move aims to replace outdated provisions with modern legal frameworks that drive food sovereignty, sustainable agriculture, and agribusiness-led economic growth. The review process involves extensive stakeholder consultations to identify areas that require updates.
According to Director, Legal Services, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Hafsat Dupe Belgore, the first phase of the review involved a comprehensive diagnostic mapping of existing agricultural legislation. This phase identified obsolete provisions, overlapping mandates, regulatory gaps, and areas where existing laws no longer reflected current realities. These realities include climate change, mechanization, agricultural technology, private-sector investment, and the transformation of food systems.
The second phase of the review is considered more critical as it moves from diagnosis to concrete legal reform. This phase has three major objectives: validating findings and draft reform proposals from the first phase, obtaining sector-specific contributions to strengthen the reforms, and aligning the proposed legal framework with the Renewed Hope Agenda, relevant national laws, and international best practices.
A stakeholders' technical retreat was organized in Abuja to refine and interrogate draft provisions. The goal is to ensure that the resulting laws are practical, enforceable, and inclusive. Belgore urged participants to provide frank, constructive, and forward-looking contributions, assuring them that their inputs would be captured and reflected in robust legal drafts.
The retreat brought together various stakeholders, including members of the National Assembly, representatives of the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, directors of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, and legal experts. The stakeholders aim to validate proposed amendments to the 18 agricultural laws and incorporate approved inputs into the final document.
According to Emeka Ogenyi, Consultant and Lead Partner, Thinkfield Law, the proposed amendments aim to establish a modern, coherent, and fit-for-purpose agricultural legal framework. This framework will support sustainable agricultural development and attract investment into the sector. The final harmonized version will be submitted to the Federal Ministry of Justice for legal drafting.
The review of the 18 agricultural laws is crucial in ensuring that Nigeria's legal framework remains relevant to emerging realities and opportunities in the agricultural sector. The National Assembly has expressed its commitment to working with the ministry and other stakeholders to translate the review into practical and effective legislation.
Key points
- The Federal Government aims to overhaul 18 agricultural laws to drive food sovereignty and economic growth.
- The review process involves extensive stakeholder consultations to identify areas that require updates.
- The proposed amendments aim to establish a modern agricultural legal framework that supports sustainable development and attracts investment.
