What will you do to help young Nigerians access financing and succeed in modern agriculture?
On financing and support for young people going into agriculture, I will expand transparent access to finance for young entrepreneurs, artisans, farmers, technology founders and people in the creative economy. Your surname, political connections or whether you can find a godfather should not decide whether your idea gets a chance to succeed. As part of this, I will put in place a financing programme for start-ups and entrepreneurs, so young Nigerians can move from dependence to enterprise, from unemployment to productivity. I have also spoken of a financing programme for start-ups and entrepreneurs to help restore purchasing power and expand opportunities for young Nigerians.
On the broader agricultural policy that this sits within, I will put smallholder farmers at the center of agricultural policy, supporting them to produce more and earn more while protecting Nigerian agriculture. My government will ensure policies strengthen local production, stabilize food prices and reduce dependence on imports. I will integrate smallholder farmers more productively into the agricultural system as outgrowers, rural employers and producers of specialty and niche products, so that farming at every scale contributes to and benefits from national agricultural growth.
On education feeding into this, our schools must place greater emphasis on agriculture alongside science, technology, vocational education, digital skills, critical thinking and entrepreneurship, so young Nigerians are trained for the economy that actually exists.
Where this comes from
p. 3 Introduction Atiku Abubakar: Answers to questions from the public 2026-10-02 ›
administration will decentralize power generation to lower electricity tariffs and remove import duties on essential machinery and production equipment. Q3: Employers say many graduates and polytechnic students do not have enough practical skills. How will you improve technical and vocational education and prepare young Nigerians for actual jobs? Answer: My administration will overhaul Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) curricula in partnership with industry leaders to match real job market requirements. It will establish modern vocational training hubs across all geopolitical zones, launch dual- apprenticeship programmes, and standardize national skill certifications. Q4: Many Nigerians are leaving the country because they cannot find opportunities at home.
p. 3 Introduction Atiku Abubakar: Answers to questions from the public 2026-10-02 ›
Q6: Farmers produce food, but bad roads, poor market access and post-harvest losses mean produce either spoils or becomes expensive before reaching consumers. How will you solve this? Answer: My administration will prioritize farm-to-market rural feeder roads under public-private partnerships, establish regional agro-processing zones near farming clusters, and deploy off-grid solar cold-storage facilities to eliminate post-harvest spoilage. Q7: Fertilizer and other farming inputs are too expensive. How will you make farming more affordable and profitable for farmers? Answer: My policy deploys a direct e-wallet input delivery system to provide subsidized fertilizers, high-yield seeds, and pest protection directly to verified smallholders, bypassing middlemen while expanding low-interest agricultural loans via the Bank of Agriculture. Q8: Nigeria has large areas of agricultural land but still imports significant amounts of food. What is your plan for increasing domestic food production and food security? Answer: My strategy expands large-scale irrigation systems (dams and boreholes) for year-round farming, encourages commercial agriculture alongside smallholder development, and deploys Agro-Rangers to secure farmland against attacks.
Article on X Article by @atiku on X · https://x.com/atiku/status/2087552029358956958 2026-08-12 ›
Nigeria cannot continue asking competent young people to wait outside the room while their future is being decided inside it.
MY COVENANT WITH YOU
Our partnership must also mean something practical in the lives of young Nigerians.
It begins with jobs and enterprise. Nigeria has millions of young people with ideas, energy and ambition, but too many cannot access the capital required to turn those ideas into businesses.
We will expand transparent access to finance for young entrepreneurs, artisans, farmers, technology founders and people working in the creative economy. Your surname, political connection or ability to find a godfather should not determine whether a good idea receives an opportunity to succeed.
Education must also change. We cannot continue educating young Nigerians for an economy that no longer exists. Our schools must place greater emphasis on science, technology, vocational education, agriculture, digital skills, critical thinking and entrepreneurship. And no brilliant Nigerian child should be denied tertiary education simply because his or her parents are poor.
Post on X Post by @atiku on X · https://x.com/atiku/status/2093757421403427170 2026-08-29 ›
Nigeria’s young people do not need a government that teaches them how to survive hardship. They need a government that gives them the opportunity to prosper.
The cost-of-living crisis has stripped millions of Nigerians of purchasing power, weakened small businesses and pushed too many young people farther away from jobs, capital and economic independence.
My commitment is to change that.
We will restore purchasing power, reduce the cost of living and deliberately expand opportunities for young Nigerians, including through a $100 billion financing programme for start-ups and entrepreneurs.
Our objective is simple: move young Nigerians from dependence to enterprise, from unemployment to productivity, and from palliatives to prosperity.
It was against this background that I was pleased to receive, this afternoon, a nationwide delegation of N-Power beneficiaries who came to declare their support for my presidential candidacy.
Post on X Post by @atiku on X · https://x.com/atiku/status/2093800029618061431 2026-08-29 ›
Nigeria’s young people do not need a government that teaches them how to survive hardship. They need a government that gives them the opportunity to prosper.
The cost-of-living crisis has stripped millions of Nigerians of purchasing power, weakened small businesses and pushed too many young people farther away from jobs, capital and economic independence.
My commitment is to change that.
We will restore purchasing power, reduce the cost of living and deliberately expand opportunities for young Nigerians, including through a $10 billion financing programme for start-ups and entrepreneurs.
Our objective is simple: move young Nigerians from dependence to enterprise, from unemployment to productivity, and from palliatives to prosperity.
It was against this background that I was pleased to receive, this afternoon, a nationwide delegation of N-Power beneficiaries who came to declare their support for my presidential candidacy.
p. 12 MANIFESTO OF THE AFRICAN DEMOCRATIC CONGRESS (ADC) Party Manifesto 2027-2031 2026-10-05 ›
● Unlock climate and green finance by building structured funding pipelines that attract green bonds, carbon market investments, and development partner financing, while improving Nigeria's capacity to absorb and effectively deploy climate funds. ● Boost agricultural productivity and food supply by scaling climate-smart agriculture.
1.6. AGRICULTURE The ADC will:
1. Make food security a national security priority, recognizing that a nation that cannot feed itself is a nation at risk. ● We will elevate food security to the National Security Council agenda ● We will align federal, state, and local government strategies under a unified national framework ● We will establish strategic reserves and emergency systems by building and maintaining national and regional food reserves, developing rapid response mechanisms for food shocks and price volatility, and coordinating humanitarian and social protection responses ● We will strengthen the linkages between farmers, processors, and markets; improve rural-urban logistics and transport infrastructure; and support agro-processing zones and local value addition ● We will increase Nigeria's agricultural mechanization to significantly improve productivity
p. 12 MANIFESTO OF THE AFRICAN DEMOCRATIC CONGRESS (ADC) Party Manifesto 2027-2031 2026-10-05 ›
2. Put Nigeria's smallholder farmers at the center of agricultural policy. We will support farmers to produce more and earn more, while protecting Nigerian agriculture - ● We will ensure that government policies strengthen local production, stabilize food prices, and reduce dependence on imports. ● Integrate smallholder farmers more productively into the agricultural system as outgrowers, rural employers, and producers of specialty and niche products, ensuring that farming at every scale contributes to and benefits from national agricultural growth
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p. 13 1.7. ENTERTAINMENT & SPORTS Party Manifesto 2027-2031 2026-10-05 ›
● Support farmers through targeted investment in inputs, mechanization, extension services, and market access - matching the right policy tools to the needs of different categories of farmers ● Put into use the abandoned water dams across federal, state, and local levels to enable year-round farming for smallholder farmers ● Develop the entire agricultural value chain to enhance productivity, reduce post-harvest losses, and invest in aggregation centres, warehouses, and cold chain systems
3. Stabilize food prices and protect Nigerians from food inflation. We will take targeted and coordinated action to reduce food price volatility, protect households from sudden spikes, and ensure stable and affordable food supply across the country. ● Build and maintain a transparent strategic grain reserves release system to stabilize supply and release food into the market during shortages ● Strengthen market monitoring systems to track food prices in real time and enable early government response ● Coordinate with states and the private sector to ensure efficient distribution of food during supply shocks
p. 18 1.11. URBAN DEVELOPMENT & HOUSING Party Manifesto 2027-2031 2026-10-05 ›
3. Develop talent for future jobs and emerging technologies. We will prepare Nigerians for the jobs of the future by investing in digital skills, innovation, and technology-driven education. ● Support the establishment of tech hubs and innovation centres across the country ● Integrate digital skills, coding, and technology training into education systems ● Support training in emerging fields such as artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and data science ● Partner with private sector and global technology firms to expand access to training and employment opportunities
The ADC will:
p. 1 CANDIDATE-APPROVED ANSWER Candidate-approved answer 2026-10-10 ›
My plan for you, Nigeria's young people, starts with this: you should not be asked to wait outside the room while your future is being decided inside it.
It begins with jobs and enterprise. I know Nigeria has millions of young people with ideas, energy and ambition, but too many cannot get the capital to turn those ideas into businesses. I am determined to expand transparent access to finance for young entrepreneurs, artisans, farmers, technology founders and people working in the creative economy. Your surname, your political connections, or whether you can find a godfather, should not decide whether your idea gets a chance to succeed.
As part of this, we will put in place a financing programme for start-ups and entrepreneurs, so that young Nigerians can move from dependence to enterprise, from unemployment to productivity
p. 1 CANDIDATE-APPROVED ANSWER Candidate-approved answer 2026-10-16 ›
On jobs, skills and enterprise, I see millions of young Nigerians with ideas, energy and ambition, but too many cannot access the capital to turn those ideas into businesses. I am committed to expanding transparent access to finance for young entrepreneurs, artisans, farmers, technology founders and people in the creative economy, so that your surname, political connection or ability to find a godfather does not determine whether your idea gets a chance to succeed. This includes a major financing programme for start-ups and entrepreneurs. Our objective is to move young Nigerians from dependence to enterprise, from unemployment to productivity, and from palliatives to prosperity.
On education, I want to change how we prepare young Nigerians for work. Our schools must place greater emphasis on science, technology, vocational education, agriculture, digital skills, critical thinking and entrepreneurship. No brilliant Nigerian child should be denied university, polytechnic or college education simply because his or her parents are poor. I see young Nigerians as the greatest national asset Nigeria has ever produced, innovators, farmers, engineers, doctors, teachers, entrepreneurs and artisans, and I believe no President can rebuild Nigeria without their active participation.