Kyari declares zero tolerance for inefficiency in agricultural projects

Abubakar Kyari, Minister, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (FMAFS)

Abubakar Kyari, Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, has declared zero tolerance for inefficiency in all development partner–supported agricultural programmes, warning that the era of business as usual is over.

Kyari made the declaration on Thursday during a meeting of the Combined National Project Steering Committee at the ministry’s headquarters in Abuja.

He said the ministry would henceforth exercise its oversight mandate with renewed firmness and uncompromising accountability, stressing that programmes must be aligned with national priorities and deliver visible outcomes to Nigerians.

According to the minister, under the Renewed Hope Agenda, performance must be measurable and public resources must translate into tangible national transformation rather than remain trapped in paperwork and process.

Kyari announced that the ministry has elevated the Projects Coordinating Unit to a full Department of Development Partnership Projects as part of efforts to strengthen supervision, tighten coordination and enforce results based management across all development partners supported programmes.

He said the restructuring was a deliberate institutional decision aimed at ensuring that projects perform, adding that underperforming programmes would be restructured.

On the 2026 Annual Workplans and Budgets, the minister said approvals would no longer be treated as routine formalities.

Related News

He noted that every proposal must clearly align with food security, productivity enhancement, value chain development, youth engagement and inclusive economic growth, which he described as core pillars of the Renewed Hope Agenda.

Kyari added that budgets must reflect impact rather than intention and that activities must deliver value rather than volume.

The minister also disclosed plans to strengthen government led pre mission engagements involving technical teams to support project teams ahead of supervision missions.

He said the approach would allow early identification of gaps, timely corrective actions and more strategic and solution oriented supervision missions that prioritise final beneficiaries.

Kyari reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu gcfr to transforming agriculture into a key driver of food security, economic diversification and inclusive prosperity.

Marcus Ogunbiyi, permanent secretary to the ministry, said the Combined National Project Steering Committee remains the apex oversight and governance platform for development partners supported projects under the ministry.

He commended the minister for providing strategic direction in aligning agricultural programmes with the objectives of the Renewed Hope Agenda.

Ruth Tene Natsa

Ruth Tene, Assistant Editor, Agric/Solid Minerals/INEC Ruth Tene is an award-winning journalist with over 15 years experience in developmental reporting across several newsrooms, as a reporter, editor and other managerial roles. She holds a Postgraduate Diploma in Journalism from the University of Maiduguri among several other certifications She has attended several trainings and certifications both locally and internationally and has been recognized for her impactful work in humanitarian reporting, receiving the Gold Award for Humanitarian Services from the Amazing Grace Foundation. She is also a recipient of the Home Alliance Fellowship, reflecting her commitment to fostering a more humane, safer and more sustainable planet. An active member of professional journalism bodies, Ruth is affiliated with the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), the National Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), and the Agricultural Correspondents Association of Nigeria (ACAN), where she continues to advocate for excellence, ethical reporting, and development-focused journalism.