(Ecofin Agency) - The Nigerian government will, starting next year, halve its wheat imports, Minister of Science and Technology, Ogbonnaya Onu, announced.

In this framework, the government will support sweet potato farmers so they can produce the crops throughout the year. According to the Minister, the quantities of sweet potato and cassava produced in Nigeria represent a true alternative to wheat flour and are the key to cutting down sums poured into wheat imports.

Nigeria has imported five million tons of wheat during the 2015-16 agricultural season, mostly from the USA.