By Abdul Lauya
In a critical intervention aimed at tackling Nigeria’s deepening food crisis, all 36 state governors have pledged to work with the Federal Government to dismantle illegal checkpoints and harmonise levies across state borders.
The agreement was reached during a closed-door meeting of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), held at the Forum’s Secretariat in Maitama, Abuja, on Wednesday, June 18, 2025.
Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who read the communiqué after the meeting, confirmed that the governors recognised the damage caused by the proliferation of illegal checkpoints and uncoordinated taxation on food transportation.
He said the Forum was briefed by the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, and key ministers, who identified poor infrastructure, extortion, and fragmented trade routes as drivers of food price inflation.
According to Sanwo-Olu, the governors have endorsed recommendations from an inter-ministerial committee set up to tackle these issues and improve the national food supply chain.
He noted that states have already invested over $2.2 billion in food security efforts through the NG-CARES platform, underscoring the urgency of the crisis.
The Forum’s resolve comes at a time when citizens are grappling with record food inflation, rising insecurity, and economic uncertainty.
While the pledges suggest a coordinated strategy is underway, many Nigerians may wonder if this sudden concern signals genuine empathy or is merely a political performance.
As prices soar and access to food tightens, do the governors truly feel the everyday pain of their people, or are they just now catching up to a crisis long visible from the streets?
