Prayer, Not Policy: Agriculture Ministry Clarifies Viral Staff Memo Amid Food Security Push

Pan Afric Reporters|Abuja, June 14, 2025 — The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security has debunked claims circulating on social media suggesting that a recent staff prayer session was an official strategy to address national food security challenges.

The Ministry in a press statement e-signed by Assistant Information Officer,Ezeaja Ikemefuna For: Director, Information (FMAFS) and released on Saturday clarified that the prayer initiative—titled “Divine Intervention for Protection and National Development” was organized internally by the Human Resource Management Department in response to the recent, untimely deaths of several senior staff members.

“The prayer was to address the apprehensiveness of staff over the recent untimely and successive deaths of management staff of the Ministry,” the statement noted. “Staff also deemed it not out of place to pray for the country.”

The Ministry emphasized that this move was not part of any formal policy directive but rather one of several welfare initiatives—alongside monthly aerobic sessions and a recently established gym, aimed at staff well-being.

Reaffirming its commitment to agricultural development, the Ministry highlighted a range of programs currently being implemented under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda. These include:

• Deployment of over 1,000 tractors to support mechanized farming;
• Distribution of over 100,000 metric tonnes of grains and rice for market stabilization;
• Donation of 2.15 million bags of fertilizer by the Central Bank of Nigeria to tackle food inflation;
• Recapitalization of the Bank of Agriculture to the tune of ₦1.5 trillion;
• Launch of the National Electronic Extension Platform (NEEP) to modernize farmer outreach;
• Ongoing $600 million World Bank-backed rural roads rehabilitation project (RAAMP);
• Distribution of critical inputs to farmers through the National Agricultural Growth Scheme Agro-Pocket (NAGS-AP).

The Ministry also disclosed its partnership with the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) to improve farmer data integrity and access to resources.

The Ministry further  reiterated that the internal prayer sessions were never meant to replace or undermine the significant and ongoing efforts toward achieving food and nutrition security for Nigeria.