The senate has begun moves to cut Nigeria’s $2 billion rice import bill by establishing a national rice council to boost local production and strengthen food self-sufficiency.
A bill sponsored by Adamu Aliero, senator representing Kebbi central, aims to establish the Rice Development Council of Nigeria to coordinate research, regulate production standards, support farmers, and promote innovation across the rice value chain.
Speaking at 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 Mohammed Monguno, senate chief whip, said the measures align with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda for agricultural and economic transformation.
“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.
…..stay tuned for more!