By Mary Izuaka

 

The federal government has commenced the second phase of the review of Nigeria’s agricultural laws to replace obsolete provisions with a modern legal framework aimed at driving food sovereignty and attracting investment.

The exercise, which began on Thursday in Abuja, follows the completion of the first phase, which was described as a diagnostic mapping of existing agricultural legislation, Ezeaja Ikemefuna, head, Department of Information of the  Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, said in a statement on Thursday.

The Director, Legal Services of the ministry, Hafsat Belgore, disclosed this at the opening of the Second Phase of the Stakeholders’ Technical Retreat on the Review of Nigeria’s Agricultural Laws.

Ms Belgore, represented by the Assistant Legal Adviser in the ministry, Manbyen Mamvong, said the first phase identified obsolete provisions, overlapping mandates, regulatory gaps and areas where existing laws are no longer in tune with current realities.

According to her, the gaps include climate change, mechanisation, agricultural technology, private sector investment and food systems transformation.

She described the second phase as more critical and decisive, noting that it moves the process from diagnosis to concrete legal re-engineering.

“The first phase, which was highly consultative, identified obsolete provisions, overlapping mandates, regulatory gaps and areas where the laws are no longer in tune with current realities,” she said.

“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 added.

Ms Belgore listed the three objectives of the second phase as validating findings and draft reform proposals from the first phase, harvesting sector-specific inputs to enrich the reform process and aligning the review with the Renewed Hope Agenda, other relevant national laws and international best practices.

She urged stakeholders to be frank, constructive and forward-looking, assuring that every input would be captured and translated into robust legal drafts.

NASS backs review

In his remarks, the Chairman of the House Committee on Agricultural Production Services, Bello Ka’oje, said reviewing 18 agricultural laws is an important step toward ensuring the legal framework remains relevant to realities and emerging opportunities in the sector.

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Mr Ka’oje, represented by the Deputy Chairman of the committee, Kelechi Nwogu, said the National Assembly is committed to working with the ministry and stakeholders to ensure the outcome translates into practical, effective legislation.

“As legislators, we remain committed to working closely with the ministry and all relevant stakeholders to ensure that the outcome of this process translates into practical and effective legislation,” he said.

Next steps

The Consultant and Lead Partner, Thinkfield Law, Emeka Ogenyi, while presenting the proposed amendments to the 18 laws, said the retreat would ensure stakeholders validate the proposed amendments, incorporate approved inputs and submit the final harmonised version to the Ministry of Justice for legal drafting.

Mr Ogenyi said the amendments would ensure a modern, coherent and fit-for-purpose agricultural legal framework to support sustainable agricultural development and investment in Nigeria.