In an urgent move to address the growing problem of food insecurity in Nigeria, the Federal Government is expanding its subsidised rice sales programme to Lagos, Kano, and Borno states.
The initiative, launched by the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, aims to provide Nigerians with affordable rice as part of the government’s efforts to combat hunger and stabilize food prices.
This program comes at a critical time as food prices continue to skyrocket across the country, worsening the already difficult economic situation for millions of Nigerians.
In early September, the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Abubakar Kyari, announced the beginning of the rice subsidy program.
The initiative started with rice sales in Abuja, where a 50kg bag of rice was sold for N40,000, significantly lower than the current market price of N90,000 to N100,000 in many areas.
Now, the program is expanding to reach more Nigerians.
According to an official from the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, the government plans to distribute 30,000 metric tonnes of rice, equivalent to about 1,000 trucks.
Each truck will carry 600 bags of rice, which will be sold at the subsidized price in Lagos, Kano, and Borno states in the coming weeks.
“We are preparing to activate the sales in Lagos and Kano states shortly. Borno State is also included,” said a ministry official, who requested anonymity.
This expansion is seen as a vital step in the government’s broader plan to tackle hunger and ensure that low-income earners, in particular, can access affordable food.
Although the program began in Abuja, reports surfaced that rice sales in the capital had been suspended.
However, the Ministry official clarified that sales were still ongoing and that the government was working to extend the program to more states as quickly as possible.
“We are actively working to bring the program to more states. The reports of stopping sales are unfounded,” the official said.
One of the challenges in Abuja has been the overwhelming public response to the subsidized rice program.
Civil servants in Abuja, particularly those working near federal ministries, have been among the primary beneficiaries of the initiative.
But as the official explained, organizing the rice sales has not been easy.
At the National Agricultural Insurance Corporation (NAIC) center in Abuja, where the rice is being sold, there have been issues with public cooperation.
The subsidised rice program is coming at a time when many Nigerians are struggling with the rising cost of food.
According to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), the food inflation rate reached 37.52% in August 2024, up from 29.34% in the same period in 2023.
This sharp increase in food prices has placed enormous pressure on families and low-income earners, who are finding it harder to afford basic staples like rice, beans, and bread.
The rising cost of food is being driven by several factors, including the devaluation of the naira.
As of September 27, 2024, the naira was trading at N1540.78 to the dollar, with some black market rates in Abuja even exceeding N1700 to the dollar.
This has made it more expensive to import essential food items, pushing prices even higher in local markets.
At Nigeria’s 64th Independence Day celebration, Finance Minister Wale Edun addressed the nation’s food crisis, calling for a renewed focus on self-sufficiency and domestic food production.
“We must focus on self-sufficiency and avoid disrupting domestic food production,” Edun stated, warning that Nigeria’s reliance on food imports was undermining its economic recovery.
The expansion of the rice subsidy program is part of a larger effort by the Federal Government to combat food insecurity and protect vulnerable communities.
With inflation rising and many Nigerians facing food shortages, the government’s intervention is seen as a necessary step to ease the burden on households.
As seen in Abuja, there are fears that bulk buyers could exploit the system, purchasing large quantities of rice at the subsidized price and then reselling it at higher rates in local markets.
There are also concerns about the logistics of distributing the rice fairly, especially in densely populated cities like Lagos and Kano.
In addition, the security situation in Borno, which has been affected by ongoing conflict, presents another challenge to the successful rollout of the program.
