Nigeria is the world’s 2nd largest importer of rice, and it is in a race against time to become self-sufficient in rice production. It aims to do so in the next 24 months, and its’ giving itself another 2 years to become self sufficient in wheat production too.
Nigeria spends around 3 billion dollars annually on staple imports with rice and wheat making up the largest chunk of the food import bill. Yet, the country is endowed with an abundance of arable land for agriculture.
For years now the country has been working towards attaining self-sufficiency in both rice and wheat production. And with massive private investment in the agriculture sector in the past five years, it is beginning to make inroads. The government now hopes to end all form of rice and wheat importation by 2017.
