Senate Pulls Barau’s Agricultural Revolution Bill Amid Drafting Concerns
The Senate halted the Agricultural Revolution Bill, 2026, citing issues with its draft, scope, and distribution of printed copies.
Wow! The Senate on Tuesday stepped down the Agricultural Revolution Bill, 2026 (SB 1082), sponsored by Deputy Senate President Senator Barau Jibrin.
The motion for the second reading was moved by Senate Leader Senator Mohammed Monguno on Barau’s behalf.
Why the bill matters: Monguno said the legislation aims to create a legal framework to transform and modernise Nigeria’s agricultural sector, tackling food insecurity, low productivity and structural challenges.
He noted that agriculture supports millions of livelihoods but suffers from inadequate mechanisation, poor irrigation, insecurity, limited affordable financing and high post‑harvest losses.
“These challenges have resulted in food insecurity, inflation and increased poverty in the country,” Monguno declared, urging a shift from piecemeal actions to a coordinated, sustainable legal framework.
The bill proposes to move Nigeria from subsistence farming to technology‑driven, commercially viable agriculture through mechanisation, improved seeds, research, extension services, irrigation and agro‑industrial development.
It also seeks to boost storage facilities, cold‑chain infrastructure, agro‑processing and market access for farm products.
Senator Muhammad Aliero of Kebbi Central seconded the motion, calling agriculture critical for economic diversification.
However, Senator Abdul Ningi of Bauchi Central raised concerns about the bill’s quality, describing its objectives as “excellent, fantastic and timeous” but saying the draft resembled a motion rather than a fully developed piece of legislation.
Ningi pointed out that Nigerian farmers produce between two and three tonnes per hectare, far below the eight to ten tonnes achieved in some other countries, and stressed the need for better mechanisation, research and farming practices.
He also questioned whether the bill adequately addresses the institutions responsible for agricultural development, even as he praised the Federal Government’s agreement to import agricultural machinery from Brazil.
The controversy emerged during debate on the second reading, with some senators questioning whether the proposed legislation complied with Senate rules on the circulation of bills and whether printed copies had been distributed to lawmakers.
Following these concerns, the Senate stepped down the Agricultural Revolution Bill, 2026.
