For years, discussions around insecurity in Nigeria have largely focused on the tragic human cost, lives lost, communities displaced, and families torn apart. Yet beneath the headlines lies another crisis unfolding with devastating consequences: the slow erosion of economic productivity across critical sectors of the economy.
According to Dr. Muda Yusuf, Chief Executive Officer of the Centre for the Promotion of Private Enterprise (CPPE), insecurity has become one of the most significant barriers to economic growth, investment, and national prosperity. At the heart of this challenge is agriculture, the sector that feeds the nation, employs millions of Nigerians, and anchors a vast network of economic activities.
“Insecurity has had a very serious impact on the economy,” Dr. Yusuf notes. “From an agriculture perspective, it is the largest employer of labour and is also critical for food security and inflation.”
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His assessment paints a sobering picture of an economy under strain. As armed attacks, kidnappings, banditry, and violent conflicts continue to spread across farming communities, the effects are reverberating far beyond the fields. Farmers are abandoning their lands, agricultural investments are shrinking, and food production is declining at a time when the nation desperately needs stability in its food supply.
But the damage does not stop at crop cultivation.
Dr. Yusuf emphasizes that agriculture is not an isolated activity but the foundation of an extensive value chain that powers numerous businesses and livelihoods across the country. From seed suppliers and equipment dealers to transporters, processors, distributors, retailers, and exporters, millions of Nigerians depend on agricultural activities for income and survival.
“The biggest economic impact is on the agriculture sector and all associated businesses because there is a huge value chain in agriculture,” he explains. “The entire value chain has been affected.”
The consequences are visible in rising food prices, worsening inflationary pressures, reduced rural incomes, and declining investor confidence. As insecurity disrupts production and distribution channels, the cost of moving goods increases, supply shortages become more common, and consumers bear the burden through higher prices.
For businesses operating within agricultural ecosystems, uncertainty has become a daily reality. Many investors are reluctant to commit resources to regions where safety cannot be guaranteed, while existing enterprises struggle with escalating operational risks and shrinking profitability.
The broader economic implications are equally concerning. Agriculture contributes significantly to Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product and remains one of the country’s most important sectors for job creation and poverty reduction. When insecurity undermines agricultural productivity, it weakens the nation’s capacity to generate employment, ensure food sufficiency, and maintain economic stability.
Dr. Yusuf argues that addressing insecurity is therefore not only a security imperative but also an economic necessity. Restoring safety across farming communities and business corridors would unlock enormous opportunities for growth, strengthen food systems, stimulate investment, and improve the welfare of millions of Nigerians.
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As Nigeria seeks pathways to sustainable economic development, his message is clear: securing lives and securing livelihoods are inseparable objectives. Without meaningful progress on security, the country’s vast agricultural potential and the prosperity it can generate across countless sectors will remain constrained.
For Dr. Muda Yusuf, the challenge is not merely about protecting farms; it is about safeguarding an entire economic ecosystem that holds the key to Nigeria’s growth, food security, and future competitiveness.
