Obasanjo Blames Shagari for Nigeria’s Rice Woes, Says 1979 Import Ban Reversal “Killed” Local Farmers

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has taken a sharp look back at Nigeria’s economic history, identifying the exact moment he believes the nation lost its way regarding food security. Speaking in Abuja on Thursday at a memorial lecture for the late General Murtala Muhammed, Obasanjo argued that Nigeria would be a global agricultural powerhouse today if not for a “disastrous” policy reversal in 1979.

According to Obasanjo, his military government had successfully steered Nigeria to the brink of rice self-sufficiency by late 1979. Relying on data that showed local fields were ready to meet national demand, he imposed a total ban on rice imports just before handing over power to President Shehu Shagari. However, that “State of Harmony” in local production was short-lived.

“Since the lifting of the rice import ban in 1979, we have not recovered. That is why we are still importing rice today,” Obasanjo lamented. He alleged that the incoming civilian administration prioritised political patronage over national interest, lifting the ban specifically to “allocate import licenses to supporters and political associates.”

The elder statesman didn’t mince words, describing the era as the beginning of a culture of “kickbacks and inflated contracts.” He shared a stinging anecdote of a politically connected “rice baron” who allegedly padded a contract by $5 million, a move so brazen it left Nigerian diplomats abroad in total shame.

Obasanjo warned that Nigeria’s inability to sustain sound policies is why it has slipped from being the 37th largest economy in the world to its current uncertain standing. He noted that other sectors, like cocoa, have suffered a similar fate, with production dropping by 150,000 metric tonnes since his time in office.

His message to current African leaders was blunt: “Reform and produce.” For Obasanjo, the path back to the top ten global economies requires a 10% annual GDP growth and, most importantly, the political will to stop “importing what we can grow.”