The Federal Government has commenced the second phase of its review of Nigeria’s agricultural laws, seeking to modernise the legal framework governing the sector and strengthen the foundation for food production and agribusiness investment.
The exercise began with a stakeholders’ technical retreat attended by government officials, lawmakers, legal experts and representatives of relevant agencies to examine proposed amendments to the country’s 18 agricultural laws.
The Director of Legal Services, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Hafsat Dupe Belgore, represented by the Assistant Legal Adviser, Manbyen Mamvong, said the review was necessary because some existing provisions had become outdated and were no longer adequate to address emerging developments in the agricultural sector.
Belgore said the first phase of the exercise involved examining existing agricultural legislation and identifying obsolete provisions, overlapping responsibilities and regulatory gaps.
According to her, the review also identified areas requiring stronger legal backing, including climate change, mechanisation, agricultural technology, private-sector investment and evolving food systems.
She said the second phase would focus on testing the proposed reforms against the realities of the sector, incorporating stakeholder input and ensuring alignment with national laws, the Renewed Hope Agenda and international best practices.
“This session is therefore not a repetition, but a consolidation. We are here to refine, to interrogate draft provisions, and to ensure that the new legal framework we are crafting is practical, enforceable, inclusive, and capable of driving Nigeria towards food sovereignty and agribusiness-led economic growth,” she said.
Belgore urged participants to critically examine the proposals and provide practical recommendations that could be incorporated into the final drafts.
The Chairman, House Committee on Agricultural Production Services, Bello Ka’oje, represented by the Deputy Chairman, Kelechi Nwogu, said the review would help ensure that agricultural legislation kept pace with emerging opportunities and challenges in the sector.
He assured that the National Assembly would collaborate with the ministry and other stakeholders to translate the outcome of the review into effective legislation.
The Consultant and Lead Partner, Thinkfield Law, Emeka Ogenyi, said the retreat would provide an opportunity to validate the proposed amendments and incorporate approved recommendations before the harmonised document was submitted to the Ministry of Justice for legal drafting.
Ogenyi said the proposed amendments were expected to provide a more coherent legal foundation for agricultural development and investment.
The retreat brought together members of the National Assembly, representatives of the Attorney-General of the Federation and Ministry of Justice, officials of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, relevant agencies, legal practitioners and other stakeholders.
