By Chesa Chesa
President Bola Tinubu has promised interest-free loans for small-scale farmers, expanded mechanised farming and increased investment in agriculture as part of measures to boost food production and reduce the cost of living.
Tinubu made the pledge on Tuesday at the All Progressives Congress (APC) rally in Jigawa State, where he unveiled the party’s roadmap to prosperity ahead of the 2027 general election.
The President said his administration would establish mechanised farming service centres across six geographical locations in the country and strengthen irrigation and agricultural research to improve productivity.
He said Nigeria had the arable land, human resources and commitment required to achieve food security, expressing confidence that increased agricultural production would bring down food prices.
“We will subsidise farming. We will reward small-scale farmers. Interest-free loans for farmers are coming. Prosperity is coming. Food security will happen,” he said.
Tinubu also ruled out any possibility of restoring the petrol subsidy, describing promises by political opponents to bring it back as misleading.
He argued that retaining the subsidy would undermine the government’s capacity to invest in critical sectors, including education, infrastructure, agriculture and security.
“Those who say subsidy is coming back, it is a lie. Don’t let them lie to you again. It is not going to come back. We cannot spend the future of our children today and feel that they will go tomorrow,” he said.
On security, the President acknowledged the challenges facing the country but urged Nigerians to support security agencies by sharing information and reporting suspicious activities.
He assured that his administration was strengthening the police and armed forces through improved welfare, salaries, housing and other support.
“We will conquer insecurity. We have been through many wars. We will defeat our enemies. Enemies of unity, enemies of stability,” he declared.
The President also highlighted the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) as a major instrument for tackling poverty, saying funds recovered from financial irregularities by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), as well as proceeds from recovered assets, would be channelled into the education financing scheme.
Describing NELFUND as a weapon against poverty, Tinubu said the initiative would help remove financial barriers preventing young Nigerians from accessing higher education.
Unveiling the APC manifesto, he outlined key priorities of his administration, including improved healthcare, reliable electricity, stronger industrial capacity, support for small and medium-scale enterprises, job creation and skills development.
