Summit flags N543bn annual export loss as hazardous pesticides threaten Nigeria’s food system

Nigeria is losing an estimated N543.7 billion annually to international export bans triggered by excessive pesticide residues in agricultural produce, stakeholders warned.

They gave the warning at the National Summit on Agroecology and Public–Private Partnerships (PPP) in Lagos. The high-level summit, convened by ActionAid Nigeria in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (FMAFS) and the Nigeria Agribusiness Group (NABG), raised urgent concerns that hazardous pesticides now pose a severe threat to Nigeria’s food security, rural livelihoods, global market access and public health.

The two-day gathering brought together over 300 participants, including Federal and State government officials, Agricultural Development Programme (ADP) managers, civil society organisations, donor agencies, researchers, and farmer associations. It forms part of ongoing national efforts to validate Nigeria’s first National Agroecology Strategy.

Egba Virginia Ogwa, programme manager, Ebonyi ADP, set the tone with a presentation titled “The Menace of Hazardous Chemical Inputs,” warning that Nigeria’s dependency on highly hazardous pesticides has degraded soils, weakened ecosystems, endangered rural communities and contributed to the country’s mounting export losses.

“Since the EU banned Nigeria’s beans in 2015 due to dangerous levels of dichlorvos, we have lost $362.5 million (N543.7billion) annually in foreign exchange. Every rejected container is a loss of income, credibility, jobs and opportunities for farmers,” she said.

Read also: Nigeria loses $362.5m yearly due to hazardous pesticides application on crops – Experts

Ogwa added that while Nigeria consumes only 25 percent of global pesticide production, it suffers 99 percent of global pesticide-related deaths, citing WHO’s estimate that 385 million farmers were poisoned by pesticides in 2019, mostly in Africa and Asia.

As Nigeria grapples with food insecurity, climate shocks and global trade losses, the programme manager, Ebonyi ADP, agreed that the transition away from toxic inputs must begin immediately.

“The evidence is overwhelming. If we continue on this path, our economic losses will deepen, our farmers will suffer more, and Nigeria’s food system will become even more fragile. Agroecology is not optional, it is our lifeline,” Ogwa advised.

Mohammed Rili, chairman of the Agricultural Development Programme (ADP), said the export losses highlight a deeper structural failure in Nigeria’s food system, stressing that agroecology is no longer an alternative but a necessity for economic survival. “What we are facing today is not just a food crisis but a national emergency. Hazardous pesticides are destroying our export reputation, poisoning our farmers and exposing our children to long-term health risks. Agroecology offers a safer, more resilient pathway that Nigeria must embrace urgently. We, the ADP managers across all states, are committed to driving its implementation,” he said.

Rili added that agroecology aligns with the realities of smallholder farmers who can no longer afford costly chemical inputs amid rising inflation and currency depreciation.

The summit also highlighted the devastating human cost of pesticide misuse. Smallholder women farmers reported widespread health symptoms, including headaches, respiratory distress, skin irritation and dizziness, following pesticide exposure. Nigeria records 72,000 cancer deaths annually, and experts link part of the rise to exposure to carcinogenic ingredients such as glyphosate, atrazine, chlorpyrifos and endosulfan.

Macaulay Koffi, programme manager, ADP Bayelsa, said the current pesticide-driven system is unsustainable and puts rural communities at risk of irreversible harm.

“Farmers are using chemicals they do not fully understand, many of which are banned in Europe and America but still circulate freely here. The soil is becoming tired, biodiversity is disappearing, and our waterways are being contaminated. If we want a future where agriculture still feeds our people, agroecology is the only direction to go,” he said.

Koffi emphasized that agroecology is not theory but a working solution already delivering results. “Farmers who have adopted organic fertiliser and agroecological methods are reporting better yields, healthier soils, and higher incomes, even under climate stress,” he said.

The summit’s communiqué highlighted critical gaps in the 2025 budget, noting that major allocations for agroecology and biodiversity were placed under the Presidency and the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation instead of FMAFS and the Ministry of Environment, making coordination difficult. Delegates called for immediate realignment.

Key recommendations included urgent implementation of the National Agroecology Strategy, establishment of community seed banks, stronger extension services, and a phased reduction of hazardous pesticides—50 percent by 2030, 25 percent by 2040, and five percent by 2050.

Royal Ibeh is a senior journalist with years of experience reporting on Nigeria’s technology and health sectors. She currently covers the Technology and Health beats for BusinessDay newspaper, where she writes in-depth stories on digital innovation, telecom infrastructure, healthcare systems, and public health policies.

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