• Nigeria’s Senate currently reviews a bill proposing the establishment of a National Rice Council to revitalize the sector.
• The Council aims to coordinate research, extension services, and innovations across the rice value chain, addressing a significant supply-demand gap.
• Nigeria, Africa's largest rice producer, spends approximately $480 million annually on imports to cover the deficit between the 5.1 million tonnes produced and the 7.4 million tonnes consumed yearly.

In Nigeria, the Senate examines a bill concerning the establishment of a National Rice Council. Information relayed by local media on Tuesday, October 28, suggests that the installation of this new body will inject a new dynamic into the rice sector.

Saliu Mustapha, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Agricultural Production, Services, and Rural Development, stated, "This bill marks the creation of a dedicated council to coordinate research, extension services, and value chain innovations, ranging from flood-resistant seeds to modern processing technologies."

Observers believe this project, if adopted, will provide the government with an institutional tool to accelerate the implementation of its National Rice Development Strategy (2020–2030). This strategy aims to close the deficit between domestic production and consumption.

Data compiled by the FAO shows that Nigeria produced an average of 5.1 million tonnes of milled rice between 2022 and 2024. Simultaneously, consumption needs totaled 7.4 million tonnes over the considered period. The country must resort to imports to fill this supply-demand gap. According to estimates by the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC), the country spends nearly $480 million annually to acquire the cereal on the international market.

The Rice Millers Association of Nigeria (RIMAN) states that local rice production remains constrained primarily by insecurity in certain cultivation zones and the still limited use of irrigation and mechanization in the sector. The National Rice Council, if established, must address these issues to achieve its objectives.

This article was initially published in French by Stéphanas Assocle

Adapted in English by Ange Jason Quenum