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Obasanjo Criticises Policy Disruptions, Calls for Consistent Support for Food Security in Africa

Former Nigerian President Urges Governments to Empower Private Sector in Food Production

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Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has raised concerns over Africa’s enduring food insecurity, blaming policy discontinuity and government involvement in production as major obstacles to sustainable development. Speaking on Thursday at the launch of Okun Rice in Abeokuta, Ogun State, Obasanjo asserted that Nigeria’s and Africa’s food crises would be less severe had there been a sustained commitment to agricultural policies across administrations.

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“One of our main issues in Nigeria, and indeed across Africa, is this lack of continuity, which impacts all development efforts—whether at family, state, national, or continental levels,” Obasanjo said. He criticised successive governments for failing to maintain prior initiatives, noting that agricultural gains are too often reset, impeding real progress.

“What I find baffling is the repeated refrain of ‘for the first time,’ as if Nigeria is starting afresh,” he said. “This happens because there is no continuity, and efforts that had been made to solve these problems in the past are overlooked. Had we sustained those efforts, our food production capabilities would not be as precarious as they are today.”

Obasanjo further called for government withdrawal from production activities, arguing that their role should focus on establishing a conducive environment for the private sector to lead economic and agricultural progress. “Government should not be in the business of production. Its duty is to create the enabling environment for agriculture and other businesses to flourish,” he remarked.

At the same event, Obasanjo lauded the determination of Dr. Biodun Onalaja, CEO of Hyst Global Business Limited, for his commitment to local rice production. Onalaja shared that the mill has a production capacity of 100 metric tonnes of high-quality rice per day, offering various packaging options from 1kg to 50kg.

Obasanjo’s comments underscore his belief that food security hinges not only on policy but also on continuity and private-sector support—a message that resonates across Nigeria’s wider developmental landscape.

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