Nigeria has moved to give every farmer a verifiable digital identity, launching a National Digital Farmers Registry anchored on the National Identification Number in partnership with the National Identity Management Commission, according to the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security. The Minister, Senator Abubakar Kyari, said the project responds to a directive from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to end duplication and inconsistencies in farmer records.
Geo-Tagging the Farm
The registry will geo-tag farmers and their farmlands to improve transparency, eliminate ghost beneficiaries, and ensure that inputs, extension services, credit and insurance reach the people they are meant for, the Ministry said. The unified platform is designed to support early warning systems, financial access, digital advisory tools and climate-smart planning, with data protection and cybersecurity safeguards developed alongside the Office of the National Security Adviser.
A Backbone for Farm Finance
The registry is being built to sit at the heart of how agricultural money is disbursed. The Bank of Agriculture is developing a permanent national farmer and farm registry that captures biometric data, farm GPS coordinates, household location, financial history, the National Identification Number and the Bank Verification Number, its Managing Director, Ayo Sotirin, told BusinessDay. He said the system would give every farmer a unique digital identity that unlocks finance, insurance, pensions and extension services, while stripping out the duplication and fraud that undermined earlier input schemes.
Accurate records decide who gets subsidised seed and credit, and that in turn shapes how much food reaches the market. FoodPrices Nigeria tracks verified retail prices across Lagos markets and will watch whether better-targeted support translates into steadier supply and prices.