Food Inflation Can’t Be Solved by Harming Local Agriculture – El-Rufai Warns FG

• El-Rufai criticized Tinubu’s agricultural policies, warning that imports could harm local farmers and domestic agriculture

• He questioned the sequencing and competence behind the reforms, preferring to share his views privately with officials

Former Kaduna State Governor, Malam Nasir El-Rufai, has weighed in on the policies of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration.

While he supports some of the government’s economic strategies, he believes their execution is flawed and questions the competence of those implementing the reforms.

Speaking in an interview with Arise TV, El-Rufai criticized certain policies, particularly in agriculture. He warned that relying on imports to curb food inflation could harm local farmers and weaken domestic agriculture.

“I don’t want to pass judgment or make statements that may be misinterpreted as criticism,” he said. “I support some of the policies. Many of the economic strategies are sound, but their sequencing is flawed, and the competence of those executing them is questionable.”

He argued that some reforms are fundamentally misguided. “You don’t combat food inflation by undermining domestic agriculture through imports. Food prices may drop temporarily, but farmers suffer as they are forced to compete with subsidized agricultural products from Europe and other regions.”

El-Rufai acknowledged his concerns about the administration’s approach but emphasized that he shares his opinions privately with senior government officials. “I have issues with several policies, and I communicate my views to senior officials. However, I prefer to keep my critiques private,” he stated.

His remarks highlight the ongoing debate over Nigeria’s economic and agricultural policies, as stakeholders seek solutions that balance inflation control with the protection of local industries.