The Nigerian Senate has begun a decisive legislative plan to end the country’s heavy dependence on imported rice by proposing a law to establish a National Rice Development Council that will drive local production and save Nigeria billions in foreign exchange.
The bill, sponsored by Senator Adamu Aliero, representing Kebbi Central, seeks to create a central body that will coordinate research, set production standards, support farmers, and promote innovation across the rice value chain.
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 the Senate Chief Whip, Mohammed Monguno, said the new initiative fits perfectly into President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda for agricultural and economic revival.
“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.
The proposed council will serve as the driving force behind Nigeria’s quest for food sufficiency by uniting local farmers, researchers, and investors to expand production and compete globally.
