The Lagos State Chapter of the Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria (RIFAN), has raised alarm over what it described as “unscrupulous elements” for frustrating efforts to boost local rice production in the country.
RIFAN Chairman Mr. Raphael Hunsa, speaking to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Lagos, linked the recent spike in rice prices to actions by individuals working against the growth of Nigeria’s local rice industry.
“We need God to have mercy on our country, Nigeria. The Federal Government is trying its best, but some fellows are hell-bent on frustrating the existence of local rice. They know that if local rice exists and thrives, there will be no more importation of foreign rice or indiscriminate increase of the produce,” Hunsa said.
Amidst the rising cost of rice, he appealed to the government not to relent in supporting and empowering local farmers.
Hunsa stressed the importance of directly delivering inputs and machinery to genuine farmers rather than “political farmers.”
“If it comes to the farmers directly, proper monitoring will be assured,” he said.
He also warned commodity leaders against colluding with individuals who might sabotage economic efforts.
“We also want commodity heads to know that the government is trying; they should not collude with unscrupulous persons to destroy our economy.”
On policy input, the Chairman of the Southwest and Lagos State Chapter of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), Mr. Femi Oke, urged the Federal Government to involve farmer associations in agricultural decision-making.
According to Oke, “The price of rice went down for a while because there was a tax exemption for its importation by the Federal Government for about six months. So, the subsidy period is over now, hence the current hike in the price of the produce.”
He stressed that solutions may not be sustainable unless stakeholders are involved in decisions affecting the rice sector.
“We are the stakeholders in the sector, and the government should involve us in its policy decisions.”
Oke also called for the empowerment of local farmers through the provision of inputs, rather than relying on waivers for rice importation.
“The waiver on tax for the importation of rice is not the solution; the government needs to empower local farmers,” he said.
“Rice is like a staple food in Nigeria; there is no household that does not take rice. So we should keep all hands on deck to stabilise the price of rice.”
He encouraged full utilisation of Nigeria’s arable land, warning against excessive urban development at the expense of food production.
“Let us utilise our arable lands and cultivate more rice for the populace. We should not just concentrate on building houses and forget cultivation,” Oke added.
According to NAN, a 50kg bag of rice that sold for between ₦52,000 and ₦55,000 earlier in 2025 now goes for between ₦75,000 and ₦85,000, depending on the species.
Nigeria’s local annual rice production capacity stands at an estimated 8.44 million tonnes, yet it imports around 2 million metric tonnes annually, placing it among the world’s largest rice importers.
