# Agriculture in Nigeria

> Agriculture was Nigeria's economic backbone before the oil boom, and remains its largest employer and, on rebased 2019-base figures, its single biggest GDP sector at roughly a quarter of output. The NBS reported 3.15% real growth in the sector for Q1 2026, led by crop production, alongside long-running federal financing schemes such as the CBN's Anchor Borrowers' Programme.

**Category:** Economy & Business · **Updated:** 2026-07-26 19:36:35 · **Canonical:** https://nigeriastuff.org/a/agriculture-in-nigeria

## Key facts
- **Pre-oil GDP share (1960s):** Averaged 57.0% of GDP and 64.5% of export earnings, 1960–1969 (Dubawa analysis)
- **Post-2025-rebasing GDP share:** 27.8% of GDP, 2024 figures (NBS, 2019-base)
- **Real GDP growth, Q1 2026:** 3.15% year-on-year (NBS)
- **Sector nominal value, Q1 2026:** ₦11.87 trillion, up from ₦11.51 trillion in Q1 2025 (NBS)
- **Largest sub-sector:** Crop production — about 66–67% of agricultural sector value (NBS)
- **Key federal financing scheme:** CBN Anchor Borrowers' Programme, launched 17 November 2015
- **As of:** 24 July 2026

## Sources
- Agric sector records 3.15% growth in GDP to N11.87trn — Vanguard News (citing NBS Q1 2026 GDP report) (https://www.vanguardngr.com/2026/06/agric-sector-records-3-15-growth-in-gdp-to-11-87trn/)
- FACTSHEET: Nigeria rebases its economy again – here's what sets it apart — Africa Check (https://africacheck.org/fact-checks/factsheets/factsheet-nigeria-rebases-its-economy-again-heres-what-sets-it-apart)
- Anchor Borrowers' Programme — Central Bank of Nigeria (Development Finance Department) (https://www.cbn.gov.ng/DFD/agriculture/ABP.html)
- Reps probe CBN's N1.12 trillion anchor borrowers scheme, NIRSAL's N215 billion loan — Premium Times (https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/709055-reps-probe-cbns-n1-12-trillion-anchor-borrowers-scheme-nirsals-n215-billion-loan.html)
- History of Agriculture in Nigeria — AgricultureNigeria.com (https://www.agriculturenigeria.com/history-of-agriculture-in-nigeria/)
- Nigeria@60: How wealthy was Nigeria before Crude oil exploration? — Dubawa (https://dubawa.org/nigeria60-how-wealthy-was-nigeria-before-crude-oil-exploration/)
- Why Food Prices Are Rising Again in Nigeria Despite Lower Inflation in 2026 — Within Nigeria (https://www.withinnigeria.com/2026/06/12/why-food-prices-are-rising-again-in-nigeria-despite-lower-inflation-in-2026/)
- Nigeria Loses N5trn Annually As 40% Of Farm Produce Rot Over Logistics Failure — Leadership Newspaper (https://leadership.ng/nigeria-loses-n5trn-annually-as-40-of-farm-produce-rot-over-logistics-failure/)

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