OTACCWA Warns Nigeria Faces Rice, Tomato Shortages Within Three Months as Over 300 Farmers Are Killed and Tinubu Remains Silent

The Organisation for Technology Advancement of Cold Chain in West Africa (OTACCWA) has warned that Nigeria could face severe shortages of rice, tomatoes and other staple foods within the next three months, driven by declining production, rising transportation costs and escalating insecurity that has displaced thousands of farmers across the country. OTACCWA President Alexander Isong gave the warning in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria on Sunday, July 26, 2026, projecting that rice production would decline by six per cent to about 8.3 million tonnes, while cultivated land would be reduced by seven per cent to 4.2 million hectares. He said the tomato shortage could persist until the late harvest season expected in October, while maize, sorghum and millet could also face supply pressure because of reduced planting recorded in 2025. Moving a tonne of grain from Kano to Lagos now costs N70,000, compared to N45,000 previously, and on some routes transport fares have doubled or tripled. Isong said onions and peppers were already experiencing limited supply in major producing areas, leading to sudden increases in prices. He blamed insecurity, declining production, supply chain disruptions and inadequate storage infrastructure for the growing food supply challenges, noting that thousands of farmers have been displaced in northern Nigeria, disrupting farming activities and reducing agricultural output. “Strengthening security in key agricultural belts, particularly in Northern Nigeria, is essential to restoring production and stabilising food supplies,” Isong said.

The warning comes amid a wave of deadly attacks on farming communities across Nigeria. On July 23, 2026, armed bandits riding motorcycles killed at least 24 farmers in an attack on remote farming villages in Zamfara State’s Talata Mafara Local Government Area, storming communities in the Sauna district and opening fire on people working on their farms. Residents said the attack lasted for about three hours. On July 28, 2026, armed bandits killed 13 farmers in a cattle rustling attack in Efeyi Ugboju Community, Otukpo Local Government Area of Benue State, rustling 20 cattle before opening fire on farmers fleeing through the bush. Earlier in July, bandits killed at least 23 farmers in Sauna/Ruwan Gora community of Zamfara State. In June, at least 17 farmers were killed and 13 others injured while working on their farms in Maradun Local Government Area of Zamfara State. Combined, more than 300 Nigerian farmers have been killed or expelled from their farms by bandits, with the death toll rising as attacks continue across the country.

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Despite the scale of the crisis and the mounting death toll, President Bola Tinubu has remained silent. While his administration has made general statements about stabilising the country and improving security, no specific condemnation or direct response has been issued regarding the killing of farmers or the looming food shortages. The government has also defended its agricultural record, with the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari, recently claiming that Nigeria has recorded significant progress in strengthening food security over the past three years, a claim that rings hollow as farmers are slaughtered in their fields and food supplies dwindle.

Amnesty International has condemned the killing of farmers, describing the attacks as further evidence that the security measures adopted to tackle insecurity are ineffective. The African Democratic Congress has also accused the Tinubu administration of failing to secure Nigerian lives, protect Nigerian farmers and address the cost-of-living crisis, saying Nigerians are starving to death under the President’s watch. Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has condemned the killings, describing the bloodshed as a “national tragedy” and accusing Tinubu of failing in the government’s primary duty to protect lives. Isong urged the federal government, states, private sector and development partners to coordinate efforts to avert shortages, noting Nigeria still loses between 30 and 50 per cent of perishable produce. “To avert shortages of rice, tomatoes, peppers, onions and other staple foods over the next three months, Nigeria needs coordinated action from the federal government, state governments, the private sector and development partners,” he said. But as farmers continue to die and food prices soar, the President’s silence speaks louder than any policy announcement ever could.

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