The existence of illegal checkpoints and unauthorised taxes across Nigeria’s transportation corridors represents one of the most pervasive yet overlooked threats to the nation’s economic stability and food security. What makes this situation particularly disheartening is not merely the prevalence of these illegalities, but their devastating impact on the food supply chain and distribution network, which has become a primary driver of the crippling food inflation that continues to inflict untold hardship on millions of Nigerian families.
This alarming reality became the central focus of discussions at the recent Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) meeting, where state chief executives finally acknowledged what many Nigerians have long experienced firsthand. In their communique issued at the conclusion of the meeting, the governors reached a sobering conclusion based on comprehensive findings that revealed how the “proliferation of unauthorised roadblocks and extortion along transportation corridors has contributed significantly to high food prices.” Their belated recognition of this crisis represents both an admission of systemic failure and a glimmer of hope for meaningful intervention.
The governors’ collective agreement to work towards dismantling illegal checkpoints and eliminating multiple taxation represents a positive step forward, albeit one that should have been taken years ago. The federal government’s response, including briefings to the NGF and promises of collaboration to “streamline levies and improve movement of goods across the country,” suggests a coordinated approach to addressing this multifaceted crisis.
However, the food inflation crisis facing Nigeria transcends mere inconvenience and has evolved into an existential threat with severe consequences for the entire population, particularly devastating low-income households who spend disproportionate portions of their income on basic sustenance.
The ripple effects of food inflation extend far beyond immediate hunger concerns, fundamentally reducing consumers’ purchasing power and forcing dramatic alterations in household consumption patterns that compromise overall well-being. This crisis has contributed to sluggish growth in the agriculture sector, creating far-reaching social and political tensions that have manifested in various forms of unrest, including the tragic violence witnessed in Benue state and other agricultural communities across the country.
The geographical distribution of food inflation rates tells a particularly troubling story about the relationship between security challenges and food accessibility. Borno state, grappling with persistent insecurity issues, recorded the highest food inflation rate at a staggering 64.4 percent in May 2025, followed by Bayelsa at 39.8 percent and Taraba at 38.6 percent. These figures illuminate the direct correlation between security challenges and food price volatility. The progression of national food inflation rates rose from 40.01 percent in March 2024 to 40.53 percent in April 2024.
What emerges as particularly ironic and frustrating is the spectacle of governors, who serve as the chief security officers of their respective states, raising alarms about food inflation while seemingly unable or unwilling to think creatively and implement innovative solutions to identify and dismantle the illegal checkpoints operating within their jurisdictions. Rather than taking decisive action within their constitutional authority, they appear to default to seeking federal intervention.
This approach inadvertently exposes their failure to make meaningful investments in agriculture and security infrastructure, despite collecting substantial allocations specifically designated for these critical sectors. The contradiction becomes even more glaring when considering the enormous resources at their disposal and their apparent inability to translate these resources into tangible improvements in food security and agricultural productivity.
Their demands, while legitimate and necessary, reveal the fundamental contradictions inherent in Nigeria’s awkward political arrangement, where states remain heavily dependent on federal government intervention for basic security functions due to the excessive centralisation of governance structures. This dependency culture has created a system where state governments consistently look upward for solutions rather than taking initiative to address challenges within their immediate control.
The situation makes it increasingly clear that Nigeria’s strong central government model has outlived its usefulness and effectiveness. The time has come for serious consideration of devolving significant powers to state and local governments, enabling them to function more independently and responsively to local challenges. Unfortunately, the governors themselves lack the political courage to advocate comprehensive restructuring of the country’s governance architecture, preferring instead to maintain the status quo while complaining about its limitations.
The current system inadvertently encourages complacency and laziness among the political class, as the emphasis on federal allocations diminishes the urgency of developing robust tax collection mechanisms and internally generated revenue streams.
While the global community has embraced mechanised farming as one of the world’s most profitable and efficient business sectors, Nigeria continues to struggle with antiquated subsistence farming methods that prove inadequate even for basic food security needs.
Despite these systemic failures, it remains possible to implement meaningful change. The elimination of illegal checkpoints must become an immediate priority, multiple taxation systems require comprehensive streamlining, and both access to farmland and transportation of agricultural produce must be freed from all forms of encumbrances.