By Dr. Nafisat Makinde
The Nigerian Senate on Tuesday, October 28, 2025, held a public hearing on a bill seeking to reduce the country’s annual $2 billion rice import bill by creating the Rice Development Council of Nigeria. The council is expected to boost local rice production, coordinate research, regulate quality standards, and promote innovation across the rice value chain.
The bill, sponsored by Senator Adamu Aliero representing Kebbi Central, is part of ongoing legislative efforts to drive agricultural transformation and strengthen food self-sufficiency. Speaking at the public hearing, Senate President Godswill Akpabio, represented by Senate Chief Whip Mohammed Monguno, said the initiative aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda for economic diversification and agricultural growth.
In his words, “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.”
If passed, the council will support farmers with access to credit and farm inputs, coordinate research into high-yield varieties, and promote private-sector participation in processing and exports. Stakeholders, including the Rice Millers Association of Nigeria and the Women Farmers Advancement Network, described the proposal as a game changer that could transform rural livelihoods and improve food security.
The Senate Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development said the bill would also provide a legal framework to harmonise policies in the rice subsector and ensure Nigeria maximises its comparative advantage in grain production.
Observers believe the initiative reflects the Senate’s growing commitment to revitalising the agricultural sector, reducing dependence on imports, and positioning rice as a key driver of Nigeria’s non-oil economy.
