Nigeria Requires 25 Million Tonnes of Maize Annually

During a quarterly citizen stakeholder engagement meeting in Abuja on Friday, Sen. Aliyu Abdullahi, the Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, disclosed that Nigeria requires no fewer than 25 million tonnes of maize annually to meet national demand and enhance food security. Abdullahi emphasized the government's commitment to intensifying efforts to boost local production, thereby reducing dependence on food imports.

He noted that ongoing interventions have already influenced market trends, leading to a nationwide decline in the prices of essential food commodities by 50 percent. The minister outlined strategies to invest in agricultural value chains, aiming to position Nigeria as a major force in the global agricultural market, with a focus on rice, maize, and wheat.

Abdullahi called for collaboration among stakeholders, including state agricultural ministries, to accelerate production nationwide and transform Nigeria's food system, ensuring sustainable agricultural growth that benefits all Nigerians.