Senate moves to slash $2bn rice import, proposes national rice council
The Senate has initiated legislative action to reduce Nigeria’s annual $2 billion rice import expenditure through the creation of a National Rice Development Council, aimed at boosting local production and strengthening food security.
The proposed law, sponsored by Senator Adamu Aliero (Kebbi Central), seeks to establish the Rice Development Council of Nigeria to coordinate research, regulate production standards, support farmers, and promote innovation throughout the rice value chain.
During a public hearing on the bill, alongside the Cassava Inclusion and Flour Production Bill and the National Food Reserve Agency Bill, Senate President Godswill Akpabio, represented by Chief Whip Tahir Monguno, said the legislative measures complement President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda for agricultural and economic revival.
“The Rice Development Council of Nigeria Bill represents our economic firepower, poised to create millions of jobs, reduce foreign exchange spending on importation, and make Nigeria Africa’s rice powerhouse,” Akpabio said.
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“By passing this bill, we will drive research, innovation, and value chain development, ensuring our children inherit a prosperous future.”
Akpabio added that the trio of agricultural bills could transform the nation’s food system, noting that while the cassava inclusion bill would boost agro-industrial growth and job creation, the food reserve agency bill would provide a safeguard against food shortages triggered by climate change or global crises.
Salihu Mustapha, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Agricultural Production Services, and Rural Development, described rice as the mainstay of Nigerian diets but decried inefficiencies that hinder local production despite the country’s potential to produce over seven million metric tonnes annually.
“This bill heralds a dedicated council to orchestrate research, extension services, and value chain innovations, from flood-resistant seeds to modern milling technologies,” Mustapha said.
“It promises to slash our $2 billion import dependence, ignite agro-industrial hubs across the north and south, and elevate our farmers from subsistence to commercial stardom.”
He further noted that the council would ensure inclusivity by engaging women and youth in agribusiness.
“It is a blueprint for turning paddy fields into prosperity engines and positioning Nigeria as Africa’s rice powerhouse,” he added.
The Rice Millers Association of Nigeria (RIMAN) endorsed the bill, describing it as a timely and strategic intervention to unlock Nigeria’s potential in rice production.
Peter Dama, the RIMAN National Chairman identified major challenges such as insecurity, inadequate irrigation, and poor mechanisation, while urging the deliberate promotion of climate-smart agricultural practices.
“There should be deliberate promotion of climate-smart agricultural production innovations, including research for high-yield resilient seeds and renewable energy to power irrigation,” Dama said.
“Rice is not just a meal on the table; it is a political and economic staple. It plays a role in palliatives for distressed communities, contributes to national GDP, and provides livelihoods for millions.”
Dama recommended that financial institutions such as NIRSAL, Bank of Agriculture (BOA), Bank of Industry (BOI), National Agricultural Insurance Corporation (NAIC), and the National Agricultural Development Fund (NADF) be included on the council’s governing board, noting that the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) should be replaced since it no longer funds agricultural programmes directly.
He also proposed the establishment of six zonal offices for regional operations and seven technical committees to oversee areas such as research, quality control, marketing, rice fortification, and gender equity.
Dama said the initiative aligns with the National Rice Development Strategy II (2020–2030) and advised that the existing rice desk in the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security be upgraded to a full-fledged council for better coordination.
Similarly, the Women Farmers Advancement Network (WOFAN) expressed strong support for the bill, describing it as a “game-changer” capable of generating millions of jobs for women and youth across the rice value chain.
Speaking for the group, Maryam Lawal urged lawmakers to ensure speedy passage of the legislation, saying it would boost food security and community empowerment.
“WOFAN worked with CARF, RIMAN, RIPAIN, and other stakeholders on the Rice Council Bill from 2020 to 2023 when it was passed by the 9th Senate,” she said.
“However, the president’s assent was delayed until the bill lapsed, and it had to be re-presented in 2024. We are therefore confident that the 10th Senate will pass it again, and this time, it will be signed into law accordingly.”
