At a recent meeting held on Wednesday, June 18, 2025, state governors across Nigeria voiced serious concerns over the escalating cost of food and livestock transportation, attributing the crisis to unauthorized taxes, illegal checkpoints, and dilapidated infrastructure.
In a communiqué released after the session, the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), chaired by Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of Kwara State, highlighted these pressing issues as major barriers to economic stability and national development.
The Forum’s third meeting of the year featured a joint briefing by the National Security Adviser (NSA) and key ministers overseeing Defence, Agriculture, Livestock Development, and Transportation. Their presentation revealed how poor road networks and illegal levies are disrupting food supply chains and inflating prices nationwide.
According to the communiqué, “A high-level inter-ministerial committee has already reviewed the situation and submitted its findings. The governors are committed to working with federal agencies to dismantle unauthorized roadblocks and streamline levies in order to ease food distribution across the country.”
In addition to food insecurity, the governors also addressed economic recovery efforts through the Nigeria Community Action Recovery and Economic Stimulus (NG-CARES) initiative. They expressed dissatisfaction with delays from the World Bank in releasing promised funds, despite states having already invested significant resources into the program.
“There’s growing concern over the World Bank’s unfulfilled commitments under NG-CARES 1.0,” the communiqué noted. “A resolution is necessary before states can move forward with NG-CARES 2.0, which aims to support vulnerable citizens and small businesses in the long term.”
In conclusion, the Forum reiterated its commitment to partnering with the federal government to remove logistical barriers, reduce food inflation, and ensure international development partnerships are honored and effectively managed.