Former President Muhammadu Buhari has urged Nigerians to prioritize food self-sufficiency and warned of the dangers of uncontrolled population growth..
The two-time president of Nigeria made the comment while speaking to journalists after observing Eid prayers in Daura.
President Buhari expressed his pleasure at the increasing number of Nigerians engaging in agriculture, leading to lower food prices and improved national food security.
However, he cautioned that the country’s progress could be hindered by unchecked population expansion, which he warned would bring numerous problems to future generations.
He said, “I use this occasion to make an appeal to all citizens to make Nigeria self-reliant. Let us grow our own food. We have shown that we can do it. This is not the time to relent when we see prices going up.
“Let us buy what is produced in the country. The foundation of a prosperous and stable country has been laid by successive governments, and I encourage our youth, in particular, to continue to play an active role in various nation-building efforts.
“I urge the youth of the country to seek to know about the founding fathers of the nation, the important personalities of their regions, and derive inspiration from them.”
He encouraged Nigerians to support one another and be their brothers’ keepers, in the spirit of the Sallah celebration.
President Buhari also praised the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) for its role in promoting national unity and urged its continued strengthening. He described the NYSC as one of the greatest achievements of General Yakubu Gowon’s administration.
![Cocoa farmers extract cocoa beans at a plantation in Ivory Coast [File: Sia Kambou/AFP]](https://sp-ao.shortpixel.ai/client/to_auto,q_glossy,ret_img,w_350,h_250/https://timeafricamagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Cocoa-farmers-extract-cocoa-beans-at-a-plantation-in-Ivory-Coast.webp)
![Cocoa farmers extract cocoa beans at a plantation in Ivory Coast [File: Sia Kambou/AFP]](https://sp-ao.shortpixel.ai/client/to_auto,q_glossy,ret_img,w_120,h_86/https://timeafricamagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Cocoa-farmers-extract-cocoa-beans-at-a-plantation-in-Ivory-Coast.webp)
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