Nigeria’s Bad Roads Fail Farmers: Accident Destroys Farm Products

In the early hours of Saturday, July 19, a loaded truck carrying Farmers yam from Zaki Biam, Benue State, Nigeria’s “yam capital”, lost control and crashed into a ditch along the Makurdi–Lafia road.

The incident occurred around 4:30 am, and though no lives were lost, the entire truckload of freshly harvested yams was destroyed.

Eyewitnesses blamed the accident on deep potholes, poor drainage, and lack of road signs along the stretch. The driver reportedly swerved to avoid a gaping pothole but lost balance, leading to the tragic loss of both the produce and the truck’s front axle.

For the farmers who had pooled resources to transport their harvest to the southern markets, this crash was more than a roadside mishap—it was a complete loss of weeks of labor and financial hope.

“This is the third time this year we’ve lost produce to bad roads,”

Mr. Aluba, a middleman and transporter, laments

“How can we grow as a country when our roads destroy our food before it even gets to the market?”

Yam farming, especially in states like Benue, Nasarawa, and Taraba, contributes significantly to local economies. Yet year after year, farmers are forced to risk not just their goods, but their lives, on roads that seem to deteriorate faster than they are repaired.

The Makurdi-Lafia highway has been a notorious deathtrap for years. With heavy rains now worsening road erosion, more accidents like Saturday’s are likely if urgent repairs are not undertaken.

This incident is more than a cautionary tale, it’s a loud reminder that poor infrastructure can kill both produce and dreams.

RoadKing.ng Takeaway:

Until rural road infrastructure improves, Nigeria’s food security and economic resilience will remain on shaky wheels. It’s time for the government and private sector to take road rehabilitation seriously, our farmers deserve better.