News in brief:
– An internal memo urging agriculture ministry staff to fast and pray sparked online backlash, with critics accusing the government of avoiding real action on Nigeria’s food crisis.
– Meanwhile, falling food prices signal relief for consumers in 2025, driven by import policies and improved market supply.
A recent internal memo inviting staff of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security to observe three days of fasting and prayer has generated a storm of criticism online.
Dated June 11 and signed by Adedayo Modupe, Director of Human Resource Management, the circular urged all employees to gather at a conference hall in Garki, Abuja on June 16, 23 and 30 under the theme, Divine Intervention for Protection and National Development.
Critics have accused the ministry of ‘spiritual posturing’ and shirking its responsibility to tackle Nigeria’s lingering food security crisis.
At least 26 million Nigerians will lack reliable access to food in 2025, according to UN estimates. Nationwide protests erupted last year over soaring staple prices. Social media commentary ranged from satirical calls to replace senior officials with pastors and imams, to blunt declarations that ‘Nigeria is a joke.’
The ministry, however, quickly clarified that the prayer sessions were an internal wellness initiative, likening them to existing gym facilities, monthly aerobic classes and routine medical check‑ups. Officials stressed that the aim was to address the distress caused by recent untimely deaths among senior staff, not to replace policy actions on food security.
Indeed, 2025 has seen a notable turnaround in local food markets. Maize prices fell year‑to‑date by 23%, a relief attributed largely to President Bola Tinubu’s import policy, which has undermined speculative hoarding.
Paddy rice and wheat have also declined, while soya beans, garri, yam, beans and sorghum have followed a consistent downward trajectory from December 2024 to April 2025, according to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).
Urban consumers are experiencing the greatest benefit; imported rice in the cities dropped from ₦2,468/kg in December 2024 to ₦2,389/kg in April 2025.
While price volatility remains a risk, the broader trend points to improving affordability for Nigerian households. This is proof, perhaps, that policy levers combined with internal staff support programmes can work hand in hand to bolster both morale and market stability.
