Smuggling Grows in Nigeria Amid Insecurity and Economic Strain

Smuggling in Nigeria is exacerbated by insecurity that keeps farmers from their land and the depreciation of the naira, which incentivizes petrol diversion. Illegal rice imports are rising as insecurity disrupts local agricultural production, creating a market for cheaper foreign rice.

Bismarck Rewane, CEO of Financial Derivatives Company, noted that smuggling thrives in the gaps created by price, policy, and infrastructure differences. The World Food Programme reported that over 17 million people in nine northern states are experiencing severe hunger due to these economic and security challenges.

Critics argue that the agricultural gains made under former Presidents Goodluck Jonathan and Muhammadu Buhari have been reversed under the current administration of President Bola Tinubu. The situation illustrates a contradiction where Nigeria aims for agricultural self-sufficiency while violence and insecurity hinder farming activities.