Lagos, Feb. 15, 2025 (Naija247news) – Nigeria continues to heavily rely on rice imports, with approximately 1.7 million metric tons of parboiled rice still being imported every year, despite ongoing efforts to increase local production. In 2023, Nigeria achieved its highest paddy rice output in over a decade, producing 8.9 million metric tons of rice. However, the country’s annual rice consumption is estimated at 6.7 million metric tons, leaving a significant shortfall of 3 million metric tons.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!To bridge this gap, Nigeria imported rice valued at $6.06 million in 2022, mainly from countries like India, Thailand, the UAE, Benin, and the United States. The country’s continued dependence on rice imports underscores the need for further measures to increase self-sufficiency and reduce the strain on foreign exchange reserves.
The Nigerian government has rolled out several initiatives to reduce import dependence, including the establishment of more rice mills and providing subsidies to local farmers. The number of operational rice mills in the country has surged from fewer than 10 in 2015 to between 70-80 today. These efforts have contributed to increased production, but local supply is still not enough to meet demand.
Despite these advancements, Nigeria’s import dependency remains high, with about 1.7 million metric tons of parboiled rice being imported annually. The government is focusing on further agricultural reforms, improving milling capacity, and offering better access to financing for farmers to encourage domestic production.
Though Nigeria has made progress in increasing local rice production, achieving full self-sufficiency remains a work in progress. The Nigerian government continues to prioritize long-term agricultural reforms aimed at reducing reliance on imports and securing food stability for the nation.
