The Nigerian Senate has advanced the Agricultural Revolution Bill, 2026 to second reading, marking a significant step toward overhauling the country’s agricultural sector. The bill, designated SB. 1082, was sponsored by the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Barau I. Jibrin, and considered during plenary presided over by the President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio. The development came just days after the upper chamber stepped down the proposed legislation over concerns regarding its drafting and circulation.
The proposed law seeks to establish a comprehensive legal framework for transforming and modernising Nigeria’s agricultural sector. Its core objectives include improving food security, promoting mechanisation and irrigation, strengthening agricultural financing, advancing agro-industrialisation, and encouraging climate-resilient farming practices.
A Call for Fundamental Transformation
Leading the debate on the bill, Senator Barau explained that the legislation was designed to review the agricultural sector, introduce necessary reforms, and set the nation on the path to an agricultural revolution. He recalled Nigeria’s glorious days in agriculture and attributed the sector’s decline to the collapse of production systems that once supplied industries with essential raw materials.
Describing the present administration as reform-oriented, Barau stressed that national development should not be left to the President alone. He argued that the legislature and other stakeholders have a responsibility to complement the government’s efforts.
“This is a reforming government. The government is making changes and introducing reforms across different sectors. I acknowledge that the President is doing well in pursuing reforms in various aspects of our national life,” he said. “However, we cannot leave everything to the President alone. Government is a collaborative undertaking, and we all have a responsibility to complement what the President is doing.”
The Deputy Senate President noted that considerable thought and effort had gone into preparing the bill. He said its objective is to examine the agricultural sector, introduce the necessary changes, and bring about a revolution in the sector. “What does that mean? It means bringing about a fundamental and far-reaching transformation in the way we approach agriculture. We need to change the existing trajectory,” he stated, adding that he expects the bill to provoke conversations and debate as lawmakers and experts contribute their views and expertise.
Lawmakers Back the Initiative
Seconding the bill, the Senate Chief Whip, Senator Mohammed Tahir Monguno, said its passage would provide the necessary legal framework to revolutionise agriculture and diversify the nation’s economy. Other lawmakers who supported the bill included Senators Babangida Hussaini (Jigawa North-West), Anthony Okorie Ani (Ebonyi South), a professor of Agricultural Extension, and Adeniyi Adegbonmire Ayodele (Ondo Central). They commended Barau for the initiative, saying the proposed legislation addresses critical areas of the agricultural sector.
The bill had suffered a setback on Tuesday when the Senate stepped it down following concerns about its drafting, scope, and the failure to circulate printed copies to lawmakers. During that earlier consideration, some senators questioned whether the proposed legislation was sufficiently developed and whether it complied with the Senate’s rules on the circulation of bills.
Committee Referral and Next Steps
Following its consideration on Wednesday, Senator Akpabio referred the bill to the Senate Committees on Agricultural Production Services and Rural Development, and Agricultural Colleges and Institutions, for further legislative scrutiny. The committees were given four weeks to report back to the Senate.
The advancement of SB. 1082 signals a renewed legislative push to address long-standing structural challenges in Nigerian agriculture. By targeting food security, mechanisation, irrigation, financing, and climate resilience within a single framework, the bill aims to reposition the sector as a driver of economic diversification and industrial growth. Its referral to committee means lawmakers will now examine the proposal in greater detail before it returns to the floor for further consideration.
