The Nigerian Senate has taken steps to reduce the country’s stimated $2 billion annual rice import bill as it pushed forward new legislation aimed at strengthening domestic food production and boosting agricultural self-sufficiency.
At plenary, lawmakers considered and adopted committee reports on three agriculture-focused bills designed to increase local output, stabilise food supply, and cut reliance on imports.
Chairman of the Senate Committee on Agricultural Production Services and Rural Development, Senator Saliu Mustapha (Kwara Central), presented the reports and said the proposed laws were key interventions to reposition the agricultural sector.
The bills include the National Food Reserve Agency Bill, the Mandatory Cassava Inclusion in Flour Production Bill—both sponsored by Mustapha—and the National Rice Council Board Bill sponsored by Senator Adamu Aliero (Kebbi Central).
Mustapha said the National Food Reserve Agency Bill seeks to establish a coordinated national storage system for grains to ensure food availability and stabilise prices during shortages.
On the cassava policy, he explained that the bill proposes a minimum of 20 per cent cassava inclusion in flour production, aimed at reducing dependence on imported wheat while boosting local cassava value chains.
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He also highlighted concerns over rice imports, noting that Nigeria spends about $2 billion annually on the commodity. According to him, the proposed National Rice Council Board Bill is designed to coordinate production, processing, and distribution nationwide.
Mustapha said the reforms would help build an integrated agricultural value chain from production to storage and processing, while creating jobs and improving food security.
The Senate unanimously passed the bills, which will now be transmitted to the House of Representatives for concurrence before being sent to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for assent.
Rafiyat Sadiq is a political, justice, and human rights reporter with Pinnacle Daily, known for fearless reporting and impactful storytelling. At Pinnacle Daily, she brings clarity and depth to issues shaping governance, democracy, and the protection of citizens’ rights.