Governors, FG Move to End Levies, Checkpoints Blocking Food Flow

Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) 

The Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) has pledged to work with the federal government to streamline multiple levies and dismantle unauthorized checkpoints that are hindering the smooth transportation of food and livestock across the country.

Following a high-level meeting at the NGF secretariat in Abuja on Wednesday, the governors acknowledged that illegal roadblocks, excessive taxation, and poor infrastructure are key drivers of rising food prices and inefficiencies in the national supply chain.

The meeting featured a security briefing by National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu, alongside key ministers including those of Defence, Agriculture, Livestock Development, and Transportation. The discussions focused heavily on mitigating inflationary pressures caused by logistical bottlenecks.

In a communiqué signed by Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, NGF Chairman and Governor of Kwara State, the forum expressed strong commitment to eliminating artificial barriers to food distribution across state lines.

The forum also reviewed a presentation from the World Bank on the NG-CARES programme. While governors noted that over 17 million Nigerians had benefited from phase 1, they raised concerns about the World Bank’s unmet funding commitments and called for a resolution before launching the next phase.

The meeting underscored the need for urgent collaboration to ensure food security, lower inflation, and support vulnerable communities through effective federal–state partnerships.