Nigeria: ActionAid Raises Transparency Concerns Over $134M NAGS-AP Wheat Intervention Program
ActionAid Nigeria has highlighted significant issues regarding transparency, beneficiary targeting, and implementation within the Federal Government’s wheat intervention program. The organization warns that structural challenges are hindering efforts to lessen the nation’s reliance on wheat imports, which currently pose a substantial economic burden.
Assessment Findings and Context
In Abuja, ActionAid presented its assessment and community scorecard report titled “Beyond the Official Narratives: ActionAid Nigeria Community Scorecard Report on the NAGS-AP Wheat Dry Season Farming Programme in Nigeria.” This report scrutinized the wheat component of the Agro-Pocket under the National Agricultural Growth Scheme-Agro Pocket (NAGS-AP) for the 2023/24 and 2024/25 dry-season farming seasons.
Dr. Tunde Saliman, a consultant researcher, noted that Nigeria’s annual wheat demand ranges between five and six million metric tonnes, costing approximately $2 billion in imports each year. In stark contrast, domestic production is only about 125,000 metric tonnes. The NAGS-AP wheat intervention, funded by the African Development Bank (AfDB) with $134 million, aims to enhance local production, reduce import dependency, and support smallholder farmers through subsidized agricultural inputs.
Allegations of Political Interference
The assessment revealed troubling allegations of political interference in the beneficiary registration process. Reports indicate that non-farmers were included on registration lists, distorting program targeting and depleting resources intended for legitimate farmers. This misallocation creates opportunities for a secondary market in subsidized inputs, undermining the program’s objectives.
Additionally, key program documents such as monitoring and evaluation reports, budget implementation records, and ward-level beneficiary lists were not publicly accessible. This lack of transparency complicates independent verification efforts, raising further concerns about accountability.
Challenges in Implementation
Saliman pointed out that farmers faced numerous challenges during the redemption process, particularly those lacking digital literacy. Issues such as network verification failures, lost redemption tokens, and incorrect assignment to redemption centers were prevalent. Furthermore, there was no effective mechanism in place to address these complaints, exacerbating the difficulties faced by farmers.
To enhance transparency and accountability, Saliman urged the AfDB and other development finance institutions to incorporate publicly accessible information disclosure requirements into their financing frameworks. He also recommended restructuring financing arrangements, suggesting an increase in subsidy support from 50% to 75% for verified women farmers and smallholders. This adjustment aims to ensure that vulnerable farmers can fully benefit from the intervention.
Recommendations for Improvement
The report calls for state governments to recruit and deploy more Agricultural Development Programme (ADP) extension agents, particularly women, to bridge knowledge gaps and provide essential technical support to farmers. Suwaiba Muhammad-Dankabo, Deputy Country Director of ActionAid Nigeria, emphasized the importance of assessing whether the program’s objectives translate into measurable benefits for intended beneficiaries.
While Nigeria imports about 90% of its wheat requirements, spending billions in foreign exchange annually, the intervention is designed to expand dry-season farming and bolster domestic food production. Muhammad-Dankabo stated, “When public funds of this scale are deployed, citizens have a right to know. Farmers have a right to know.”
Commitment to Accountability
The report underscores the Federal Government’s commitment to reducing import dependency, yet it remains constrained by limited productivity gains, delayed input delivery, financial barriers for smallholders, and weak coordination among implementing institutions. ActionAid has called for the development of a national wheat seed multiplication strategy, the introduction of gender-sensitive agricultural financing mechanisms, and the establishment of a zonal framework for wheat production based on ecological suitability.
The organization also urged NAGS-AP managers to publish ward-level beneficiary lists, implement publicly accessible program monitoring dashboards, and improve ICT infrastructure during redemption exercises. Investigations into allegations of input diversion, adulterated agrochemicals, and uncertified seeds are also recommended. Sanctions against agro-dealers found guilty of malpractice and awareness campaigns to enhance farmers’ understanding of program processes are essential steps forward.
The Role of Civil Society
ActionAid advocates for state governments to strengthen extension services and recruit more field officers while encouraging farmer groups to enhance digital literacy among their members. The organization also calls on civil society groups to utilize the Freedom of Information Act to demand accountability and maintain independent monitoring of public agricultural interventions.
Muhammad-Dankabo reiterated ActionAid’s commitment to amplifying the voices of smallholder farmers, urging the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, the NAGS-AP Secretariat, the AfDB, and other stakeholders to act on the report’s recommendations. “The wheat farmers of Nigeria, especially women smallholders, deserve a program that works. They deserve transparency, accountability, and results,” she stated.
Source: www.zawya.com
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