| dc.description.abstract | Nigeria remains one of Africa’s largest rice consumers and importers, despite significant arable land and multiple government interventions. In 2025, domestic rice production fell to 5.23 million metric tonnes, the lowest in four years, while the country continues to import nearly 2 million metric tonnes annually, spending over $300 million on rice imports each year.
Recent allegations by the Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria (RIFAN) and the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN) have exposed systemic weaknesses in the rice value chain, including diversion of subsidised inputs, exclusion of farmer groups from policy decisions, unregulated rice import waivers, and persistent smuggling through porous borders. These issues threaten food security, strain foreign reserves, and undermine Nigeria’s goal of agricultural self-sufficiency.
To reverse the decline in domestic production and strengthen the rice economy, the National Assembly may wish to: These legislative actions are essential to reinvigorate domestic rice production, reduce import dependency, protect consumer prices, and support rural economies.
● Mandate transparency in input distribution by requiring the Ministry of Agriculture to publish a digital beneficiary registry and monitor allocation of inputs;
● Legislate strict conditions for rice import duty waivers, including timelines and safeguards to prevent market distortion, and convene a stakeholder hearing to address the impact;
● Advocate for an audited intervention fund through the CBN or Bank of Agriculture, accessible only to verified farmers via RIFAN and AFAN;
● Institutionalise farmer participation in rice policy planning and implementation to ensure stakeholder engagement in pricing, subsidies, and trade policies;
● Convene a joint session with Customs, NAFDAC, and NIA to formulate a national anti smuggling roadmap, especially for the Benin and Cameroon borders.
These legislative actions are essential to reinvigorate domestic rice production, reduce import dependency, protect consumer prices, and support rural economies. | en_US |
