National Agricultural Extension Policy.

The National Agricultural Extension Policy (NAEP) was developed to establish a legislated and coordinated system for agricultural extension in Nigeria, in response to decades of fragmented, inconsistent, and unsustainable extension service delivery. Agriculture plays a critical role in Nigeria’s economy—contributing nearly 46% of GDP and employing over 73% of the active labor force—but the sector has long suffered from weak support systems. The policy aims to create a knowledge-based, pluralistic, participatory, demand-driven, market-oriented, and ICT-enabled extension framework that strengthens agricultural productivity, food security, and rural livelihoods. A major emphasis is placed on building a harmonized national structure and legal framework that will ensure accountability, quality assurance, and stakeholder ownership.
The policy traces the historical evolution of agricultural extension in Nigeria, from colonial-era activities to various post-independence projects, including those supported by the World Bank. Despite several ambitious programs, the lack of a dedicated extension policy led to inconsistent funding, limited institutional capacity, and duplication of efforts among various actors. NAEP addresses these issues through the creation of implementation steering committees at federal, state, and local levels, and by defining the responsibilities of government agencies, research institutions, NGOs, farmer-based organizations, and private sector service providers. A dedicated Agricultural Extension Trust Fund is also proposed to ensure sustainable financing.
The policy sets eleven strategic objectives, including strengthening research-extension-farmer linkages, decentralizing service delivery, promoting public-private collaboration, ensuring inclusive support for women, youth, and people with special needs, and integrating cross-cutting issues like climate change, environmental sustainability, nutrition, and health. The policy also emphasizes the professionalization of extension services through certification and training, and the establishment of a robust Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) system. Ultimately, the NAEP seeks to transform Nigeria’s agricultural sector into a resilient, productive, and inclusive driver of socio-economic growth.