A Northern Nigerian woman says Tinubu agriculture policies contributed to the loss of about ₦35 million in her farming business since 2023, urging voters to reject the President in 2027.
ABUJA, NIGERIA — A Northern Nigerian woman has claimed that she lost about ₦35 million, including her life savings, in the agricultural sector since President Bola Tinubu assumed office in 2023, blaming rising production costs, falling grain prices and insecurity for the losses.
According to the woman, her production costs tripled under the Tinubu administration, while grain prices later fell after what she described as government policies that allowed more grain imports into Nigeria. She said the combination left her unable to recover the money invested in her agricultural activities.
Newstridez reviewed the video and the woman’s claims, and found that the ₦35 million figure represents her personal estimate of losses rather than an independently audited figure. Her account, however, points to problems that farmers across Nigeria have continued to raise, including high input costs, insecurity and weak prices for some farm commodities.
The woman, whose name was not disclosed in the report, said the financial pressure became severe after 2023. She argued that farmers struggled to cope with higher production expenses while market conditions made it harder to sell harvested grains at prices that could cover their costs.
“I lost about ₦35 million and my life savings in the agric sector when Tinubu became President.”
She further claimed that the cost of production tripled and that grain prices later crashed, making it difficult for farmers to recover their investment. She specifically blamed what she described as Tinubu’s decision to allow grain imports, saying locally produced grains faced tougher competition in the market.
The woman also linked her losses to insecurity in farming communities. She said kidnapping and attacks made farmers afraid to return to their farms, leaving agricultural investments exposed while production suffered.
“The high level of insecurity and kidnapping made us stay away from our farms. I lost millions.”
Her comments have surfaced as agriculture remains a major part of Nigeria’s economy and a key source of income for millions of households. The Federal Government itself has acknowledged that Nigerian agriculture faces risks from insecurity, climate shocks, high input costs and market volatility.
Data reviewed by Newstridez shows that the challenges facing farmers cannot be reduced to one factor. Nigeria’s 2026–2027 National Agri-Food Systems Investment Plan identifies drought, extreme heat, irregular rainfall, flooding, land degradation and rising food-price volatility among the risks confronting the agricultural sector.
The government has also introduced several measures aimed at supporting farmers. President Tinubu said in June that Nigeria was targeting 1.1 million metric tonnes of fertiliser inputs in 2026, equivalent to about 22 million bags, while the government said it had secured more than 449,000 tonnes of fertiliser inputs by May.
The Federal Ministry of Agriculture has also reported support programmes for farmers. Under its 2025/2026 dry-season wheat programme, the ministry said it registered 80,000 farmers and targeted output worth about ₦160 billion, as part of efforts to improve food production and reduce dependence on imports.
Those interventions, however, do not mean every farmer has benefited equally. Agricultural businesses operate differently depending on location, crop, access to finance, security and market prices. A farmer who spends heavily on fertiliser, seeds, transport and labour can still suffer major losses if harvest prices fall sharply.
Recent market data also supports concerns over price pressure in some commodities. A 2026 USDA Foreign Agricultural Service report said Nigerian corn farmgate prices fell by 52 per cent through December 2025 compared with the previous year, while high input costs continued to affect producers.
The same report projected that Nigeria’s rice production would decline by seven per cent to 8.3 million tonnes in the 2026/27 marketing year. It linked the outlook partly to high input costs and said lower imports could help maintain domestic prices while some producers switch to crops requiring fewer inputs.
That market picture gives context to the woman’s complaint, although it does not independently prove that government policy caused her reported ₦35 million loss. Her claim remains a personal account, and no financial records or farm documents were presented in the report to verify the exact amount.
The woman also blamed insecurity for keeping farmers away from their fields. That concern remains particularly serious in parts of northern Nigeria, where attacks and kidnappings have affected farming communities and disrupted access to farmland.
For farmers, security can be as important as fertiliser or access to credit. A farmer who cannot safely reach a farm may lose an entire production cycle, while the cost of replacing equipment, paying workers or securing alternative farmland can further increase financial pressure.
The political significance of the woman’s comments also comes into focus ahead of the 2027 presidential election. She called for Tinubu to be voted out, saying her personal experience in agriculture had shaped her view of the administration.
“When I say Tinubu must be voted out, many don’t understand my pain and anger.”
Her statement has since generated discussion online, with the video attracting attention from Nigerians debating the impact of Tinubu’s economic and agricultural policies. Some of the debate has focused on whether the government should take greater responsibility for the difficulties faced by farmers, while others have pointed to broader market and security factors.
“When I Say Tinubu Must Be Voted Out, Many Don’t Understand My Pain And Anger. I Lost About ₦35 Million And My Life Savings In The Agric Sector When Tinubu Became President. The Cost Of Production Tripled, And Then, Because Of Tinubu’s Policies Like Allowing The Importation Of… pic.twitter.com/L4lRBIKbPJ
— Somto Okonkwo (@General_Somto) September 15, 2026
The timing is significant because Tinubu’s re-election campaign is already facing scrutiny over the economy, food prices and insecurity. Reuters reported in August that these issues are likely to shape the 2027 presidential contest, with many Nigerians still concerned about living costs despite improvements in some macroeconomic indicators.
Nigeria’s economy recorded 4.43 per cent real growth in the second quarter of 2026, according to the National Bureau of Statistics, but that broader growth figure does not necessarily reflect the experience of individual farmers or agricultural businesses.
This difference between national economic figures and personal financial experience is likely to remain an issue during the election campaign. Government officials may point to growth, investment and agricultural support programmes, while farmers and traders may judge the administration by production costs, farm access, commodity prices and actual income.
The woman’s complaint therefore adds a personal voice to a much wider argument over whether the government’s agricultural policies have improved conditions for producers. Her ₦35 million figure should not be treated as an established sector-wide loss, but her account highlights the financial risk faced by farmers when costs rise and selling prices weaken.
Meanwhile, the Federal Government continues to promote domestic production, fertiliser access and food-security programmes while also dealing with security threats and market pressures. The success of those efforts will ultimately depend on whether farmers can safely produce, sell their crops at sustainable prices and earn enough to remain in business.
As at the time of filing this report, the woman had not provided publicly available financial records independently verifying the claimed ₦35 million loss. Her allegation remains her personal account, while official programmes show that the government has introduced agricultural support measures during the same period.
The debate is now likely to move beyond the woman’s individual experience as Nigerians assess the Tinubu administration ahead of 2027. For farmers, the key questions remain whether production costs will fall, security will improve and agricultural markets will provide prices that allow producers to recover their investments and stay in business.
