Land Tenure Insecurity and Its Effects on Agricultural Investment in Benue State

Secure land tenure is a fundamental prerequisite for agricultural investment and sustainable land management, yet customary tenure systems in Benue State's farming communities are characterised by overlapping claims, gender-based exclusion, and exposure to dispossession that discourage long-term farm improvement in Nigeria's North Central geopolitical zone. This study examines the relationship between land tenure security and levels of agricultural investment in 30 farming communities across Gboko, Makurdi, and Logo local government areas in Benue State. Structured household surveys administered to 420 farm households measured tenure security using a composite index drawing on documentation status, perceived risk of land loss, dispute incidence, and transferability of land rights. Agricultural investment indicators captured expenditure on soil conservation structures, fertiliser application, improved seed varieties, and tree planting within the preceding five-year period. Statistical analysis using ordinary least squares regression with robust standard errors was performed to estimate the investment effect of tenure security, controlling for farm size, household assets, and access to credit. Results confirm a statistically significant positive relationship between tenure security and farm investment intensity (beta = 0.43, p < 0.01), with the strongest effects observed for multi-year investments such as tree planting and erosion control structures. Female-headed households exhibit systematically lower tenure security scores and correspondingly lower investment levels. The study recommends accelerated land certification programmes, customary land rights reform, and gender-sensitive tenure regularisation under Benue State's Land Administration programme. Keywords: land tenure, agricultural investment, Benue State, North Central Nigeria, smallholders.