Nigeria’s food security debate often centres on fertiliser costs, flooding, and food imports. Across farms in many states, another issue is shaping outcomes: the absence of timely and usable information for farmers.
“The climate has changed faster than the information farmers receive,” said Victor Onyekachukwu, co-founder of CropCura. “Farmers are fighting new problems with old tools.”
From cassava farms in Ebonyi to tomato plots in Kano, farmers often face the same situations. Leaves change shape. Spots appear. Growth slows. With no clear guidance, many farmers wait or make guesses. In many cases, crops fail before help arrives.
The cost is large. The Food and Agriculture Organization estimates that Nigeria loses more than $9 billion each year through losses before and after harvest. A major share of these losses is linked to pests and diseases that could have been managed if detected early.
For smallholder farmers, the effect is direct. A poor harvest can remove a year’s income. School fees go unpaid. Household debt grows. These outcomes do not stay on the farm. They affect food supply, prices, and trade.
Data from the National Bureau of Statistics show that agricultural imports reached ₦1.04 trillion in the first half of 2025, with ₦1.18 trillion recorded in the second quarter alone. This trend places pressure on foreign exchange, affects the naira, and complicates government plans for food self-sufficiency.
Changes in weather patterns are adding strain. Shifts in rainfall and temperature support the spread of pests such as the Fall Armyworm. Farming knowledge passed between generations is not always suited to these patterns.
Mobile phones are common, but access to the internet in rural areas remains limited and costly, according to the NBS. Many digital farm tools depend on constant connectivity. This limits their use when farmers are in the field and need answers.
This has led to calls for a change in how farm support is delivered. Specialists say tools should reflect local crops, soils, pests, and languages, and should work with limited connectivity.
Onyekachukwu said access to information should be treated like fertiliser or water. “Knowledge must reach farmers when they need it most, in a form they understand,” he said.
CropCura, an AI-powered mobile application, aims to respond to this gap. The tool allows farmers to take a photo of a plant and receive a diagnosis and guidance on organic treatment. It is trained on Nigerian crop data and designed for use with limited internet access.
Analysts say the lesson is clear. When farmers receive timely and trusted information, losses reduce, yields improve, and dependence on imports declines. For Nigeria, closing the information gap could support food supply, protect rural incomes, and support economic stability.
