The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (FMAFS) and the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) have taken steps to strengthen Nigeria’s agricultural sector through the use of digital identity systems aimed at improving service delivery, transparency and access to government interventions for farmers.
The move followed a courtesy visit by the Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of NIMC, Engr. Dr. Abisoye Coker, to the Honourable Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari, CON. The meeting focused on the implementation of the newly enacted National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) Act 2026 and its expected impact on the nation’s agricultural sector.
During the discussion, both parties examined how the provisions of the new law can support the Ministry’s efforts to strengthen farmer identification and improve the targeting of agricultural interventions. They noted that integrating digital identity into agricultural programmes would help ensure that government support reaches genuine beneficiaries while reducing duplication and inefficiencies.
The meeting also highlighted the strategic importance of the National Identification Number (NIN) as a reliable and secure identity credential for farmers and other beneficiaries of government initiatives. According to the officials, adopting the NIN across agricultural programmes will enable more accurate data collection, improve planning, policy implementation and support evidence-based decision-making.
The collaboration is also expected to enhance transparency in the distribution of agricultural inputs, grants and other intervention programmes by creating a secure and interoperable digital identity ecosystem. This, stakeholders believe, will strengthen public confidence in government initiatives while promoting accountability in service delivery.
In addition, the partnership aims to improve agricultural data management, expand financial inclusion for farmers by making it easier to access formal financial services and support the Federal Government’s broader agenda of ensuring food security and driving economic growth through technology-driven reforms.
At the end of the meeting, both the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security and the National Identity Management Commission reaffirmed their commitment to deepening collaboration in leveraging digital identity infrastructure to modernise agricultural service delivery and build a more efficient, transparent and inclusive agricultural sector capable of supporting Nigeria’s food security objectives.
