FAO opened its office in Nigeria in 1978 and has therefore been operational for over 40 years in the country. Currently the Country Office works directly with Six Ministries of the Federal Government (Agriculture and Rural Development; Budget and national Planning; Water Resources which houses Department of Irrigation and; Environment which is responsible for forestry and climate change issues, Health- Food safety and nutrition and; Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development) and Ministries of the State Governments. FAO continues to provide strategic support to national development programmes and strategies aimed at reducing poverty, improving food security and management of natural resources.

From 1976 to 2012 FAO has supported and implemented 111 projects in Nigeria with a total value of approximately US$70 million. In addition to its resources, the organization mobilized financial support for implementation of country programmes from bilateral donors as well as Nigeria beneficiary member programmes themselves. Programmes implemented by FAO in Nigeria covered technical development, policy work and emergency response and rehabilitation in technical areas of agriculture and natural resources.

The FAO support and activities focused on providing technical assistance and policy advice for the development of crops, livestock, fisheries and forestry sub sectors, with due emphasis given to institutional capacity building and development of local skills and expertise to ensure sustainability and future local support. Within this context, the Organization has also introduced and piloted a number of new technologies which have now been adopted by government for up-scaling and wider use in the country. The organisation supported the government to develop the National Livestock Transformation plan (NLTP).

In addition, FAO continued to support agriculture related emergency response and rehabilitation in crops and animal health, most recently the control and eradication of Avian Flu and Rinderpest as well the control and management of Fall Armyworm (FAW). Following the introduction of Telefood, FAO has also funded a number of Telefood projects for community groups in Nigeria. In its work the Organization has always supported promotion and empowerment of women in agriculture and rural areas.

Also, FAO emergency assistance to laced populations in the three states of Borno, Adamawa and Yobe in Northeast Nigeria most affected by insurgency has remained consistent. Thence it is the lead agency supporting the implementation of the Buhari Response plan of action for the rehabilitation of the region.