Index to Nigerian Newspapers

The Nigerian government has been facing a surge in illegal rice importation, threatening local production and putting significant investment in the country. The government has closed many of Nigeria's official borders, reducing importation of some commodities, including foreign rice. This has led to an increase in paddy production from 2.8 million tons in 2010 to 8 million tons now, with processed rice quantities averaging 5.3 million tons. However, this has left between 1.5 and 2 million ton demand shortfall, even as average yield has increased. The federal government has reopened some of the closed borders, with foreign rice now finding its way into the country. The average annual consumption of rice in Nigeria is estimated to be between 6.7 and 7 million metric tons per annum, leaving a gap of over 1.7 million tons. To close this gap, experts suggest reducing post-harvest losses incurred by smallholder farmers and supporting traditional processors to meet urban demand. The revelation of increased imports into Benin raises concerns among farmers and processors in the region.