TAF PUBLISHING

This study looked at Nigeria's food security and economic dependence. Nigeria has enormous agricultural potential but has remained a net importer of agricultural products over the past few decades. Due to intentional neglect of agriculture in the early 1970s, Nigeria lost its standing as a significant global exporter of agricultural products, including food, which had a detrimental effect on food security. This study examined the effects of economic dependency on food security in Nigeria because prior efforts to boost food production did not consider the systemic ramifications of economic dependency. A qualitative method was used in which published materials such as journal articles were consulted and analyzed using content analysis. Dependency Theory was the study's foundation. Based on findings, Traditional farming techniques and knowledge have been lost due to the nation's reliance on imported food. This disruption needs to improve the ability of the local communities to produce enough food. Additionally, it impairs their ability to grow a wide range of nutrient-dense foods. It makes it harder for them to adjust to changing environmental conditions, exacerbating malnourishment, hunger, inequality, illnesses, and other food poverty-related problems across the continent. Therefore, Nigeria should mobilize domestic resources to enhance local food production to achieve food sufficiency rather than relying solely on food imports. Food security requires deliberate strategies such as research, value addition, and infrastructure development.