Nigeria eats 8.6m tonnes of rice a year but grows only 3.3m, governors' forum warns

Nigeria consumes about 8.6 million metric tons of rice every year but produces only around 3.3 million, the Nigeria Governors' Forum (NGF) has said.

The NGF Director-General, Abdulateef Shittu, gave the figures in Abuja at the launch of a report on the rice sector in the North-West, produced with support from the Gates Foundation. Demand is expected to climb to 9.1 million tons by 2027.

Phillip Obosi of the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa said Nigeria is projected to import 2.9 million tons of rice this year, costing about $1.4 billion.

Shittu blamed the shortfall on changing policies, poor budgeting and a lack of reliable data, and called for a coordinated plan based on accurate figures, including statistics offices in every state. Other speakers pointed to fake seeds and fertiliser, high energy costs and insecurity in farming areas.

The Bank of Agriculture said it plans to reach 700,000 farmers in the 2026 wet season and deploy 4,000 tractors, while rice processors asked for verified farmer lists and secure farming corridors in Kaduna, Katsina, Zamfara and Sokoto.