Nigerian milled rice can now compete favourably, match foreign brands – Emefiele

The Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Mr. Godwin Emefiele on Tuesday said that Nigeria’s integrated mills have increased drastically from 10 to 60 within a period of six years.

This was also as he boasted that Nigerian milled rice can now compete favourably and match the foreign brand.

Emefiele disclosed this while commissioning the multi-billion naira Gerawa Ultra modern rice mill factory with 420 metric tonnes per day capacity and flag-off of the 2nd phase with 560 metric tonnes per day capacity in Kano.


According to him, “Prior to the anchor borrowers program by President Muhammadu Buhari in 2015, the country had less than 10 functional integrated mills with a combined capacity of less than 350,000 Metric Tonnes. This has grown astronomically to over 60 integrated mills with the combined capacity of over 3 million Metric Tonnes as of today. And about 10 more mills are scheduled to be commissioned this year.

“The growing number of integrated rice mills have been complimented by hundreds of small-scale mills scattered across the country.

“The enormous private sector investment that has been unlocked in the establishment of rice mills are testaments of the conducive environment we have been able to create in the rice value chain through our initiatives and stakeholders’ collaboration efforts.
“As at today, the quality of our milled rice can match the most foreign brand and as Nigerians, we need to become more patriotic and embrace Mr. President’s mantra of producing what you eat and eat what you produce.

“The proliferation of our markets by substandard imported rice variety has been curtailed as we now have more Nigerian rice mill in the market with the support of the Customs who clamped down on smugglers.

“Rice remains a major staple food for every Nigerians households and that prominence justifies the attention we have placed on the commodity as a focal part of our food security drive in Nigeria,” Emefiele said.

On his part, Governor Badaru Abubakar of Jigawa state, who geaced the occasion, applauded the giant stride achievement recorded by President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration in the agricultural sector and diversifying the economy saying steadily the country is moving towards zero oil economy.