The Federal Government of Nigeria has initiated the sale of 30,000 metric tonnes of milled rice at a subsidised rate of ₦40,000 per 50kg bag. This initiative aims to alleviate the ongoing food crisis and provide affordable rice to Nigerians.
President Bola Tinubu, represented by Minister of Agriculture and Food Security Abubakar Kyari, emphasized that the sale will be strictly regulated on a “one person, one bag” basis. Buyers must present a National Identification Number (NIN) to qualify for purchase. The process is designed to prevent individuals from buying more than one bag, with verification involving NIN, phone numbers, and, for civil servants, Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) details.
Director of Strategic Grains Reserve, Haruna Sule, explained that after providing a valid identification, buyers will receive a code number and a Treasury receipt, which must be presented at a separate collection point to pick up the rice.
This move follows a previous suspension of a similar plan announced in July by the Ministry of Information. The government hopes this intervention will stabilize rice prices and benefit a broad segment of the population.