7 Reasons Why Nigeria Should Stop Importing Rice

Rice is one of the most consumed staple foods in Nigeria, but the country still relies heavily on imports to meet its demand. According to the US Department of Agriculture, Nigeria imported about two million tonnes of rice in 2020, despite the government’s claim that it has achieved self-sufficiency in rice production. This is not only a drain on the country’s foreign exchange reserves, but also a threat to its food security and economic development. Here are seven reasons why Nigeria should stop importing rice and focus on boosting its local production.

1. Importing rice undermines local farmers and industries

Nigeria has a huge potential for rice production, with about 5.3 million hectares of land suitable for rice cultivation. However, many farmers lack access to improved seeds, fertilizers, irrigation, mechanization, and credit facilities that could enhance their productivity and profitability. Importing rice creates unfair competition for local farmers, who have to sell their produce at lower prices than the imported ones. This discourages them from investing in their farms and reduces their income and livelihood opportunities. Importing rice also affects the local rice processing industry, which suffers from low capacity utilization and high operating costs due to inadequate infrastructure and power supply.

2. Importing rice exposes Nigeria to external shocks and uncertainties

Nigeria’s dependence on rice imports makes it vulnerable to fluctuations in global rice prices and supply. For instance, in 2008 and 2020, the world experienced a sharp rise in rice prices due to factors such as droughts, floods, export bans, and the COVID-19 pandemic. This resulted in food inflation, scarcity, and social unrest in Nigeria, as many consumers could not afford to buy rice or had to resort to substandard or adulterated products. Importing rice also exposes Nigeria to political and diplomatic risks, as it relies on a few countries such as India, Thailand, Vietnam, and China for its rice imports. Any disruption in the trade relations or policies of these countries could affect Nigeria’s rice supply and security.

3. Importing rice contributes to environmental degradation and climate change

Rice production is a water-intensive and energy-intensive activity that requires large amounts of land, water, and fossil fuels. Importing rice means that Nigeria is outsourcing its environmental impacts to other countries, while also increasing its carbon footprint from the transportation and distribution of the imported rice. According to a study by the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Nigeria’s rice imports in 2010 resulted in an estimated 2.9 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions, equivalent to the annual emissions of 638,000 cars. Importing rice also reduces Nigeria’s resilience to climate change, as it reduces its capacity to adapt to changing weather patterns and crop failures.

4. Importing rice affects Nigeria’s health and nutrition status

Rice is a major source of calories and carbohydrates for many Nigerians, but it is not a nutritionally balanced food. It is low in protein, vitamins, minerals, and fiber, and high in starch and glycemic index. Importing rice means that Nigeria is losing the opportunity to diversify its diet and improve its nutritional quality by growing other crops such as millet, sorghum, maize, cassava, yam, beans, vegetables, and fruits. Importing rice also increases the risk of food contamination and poisoning from pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, preservatives, coloring agents, and other chemicals used in the production and processing of the imported rice.

5. Importing rice hampers Nigeria’s economic diversification and industrialization

Rice is one of the key agricultural commodities that could drive Nigeria’s economic diversification and industrialization agenda. According to the African Development Bank (AfDB), Nigeria has the potential to become a major rice exporter in Africa if it can increase its production and processing capacity. This would create millions of jobs along the value chain from farming to milling to marketing to consumption. It would also generate foreign exchange earnings from exports and reduce import bills from imports. It would also stimulate the development of other sectors such as manufacturing, transportation, storage, packaging, and retailing that are linked to the rice industry.

6. Importing rice undermines Nigeria’s sovereignty and self-reliance

Rice is not just a food item for Nigeria; it is also a symbol of its identity and culture. Rice is used for various social and religious ceremonies such as weddings, funerals, festivals, and offerings. It is also a sign of hospitality and generosity for guests and visitors. Importing rice means that Nigeria is losing its control over its food system and culture. It means that Nigeria is depending on other countries for its food security and sovereignty. It means that Nigeria is not self-reliant or self-sufficient in one of its most basic needs.

7. Importing rice contradicts Nigeria’s vision and aspirations

Nigeria has a vision to become one of the top 20 economies in the world by 2030, and a leading African nation in terms of development, democracy, and peace. To achieve this vision, Nigeria needs to harness its abundant human and natural resources, and transform its economy from a consumer-oriented one to a producer-oriented one. Importing rice is contrary to this vision, as it shows that Nigeria is not utilizing its potential, and is not contributing to the global food system. Importing rice is also contrary to Nigeria’s aspirations, as it shows that Nigeria is not proud of its own products, and is not confident of its own capabilities.

Nigeria’s Rice Imports: Trends and Implications

Nigeria is one of the largest consumers of rice in Africa, with a population of over 200 million people and a per capita consumption of about 32 kg per year. However, the country is also one of the largest importers of rice in the world, spending millions of dollars every day to meet its domestic demand. This article will examine the trends and implications of Nigeria’s rice imports, using data from various sources.

Rice Imports: How Much and From Where?

According to the Observatory of Economic Complexity (OEC), Nigeria imported $8.84 million worth of rice in 2021, making it the 144th largest importer of rice in the world. The main sources of Nigeria’s rice imports were India ($5.78 million), Thailand ($948,000), United States ($694,000), Vietnam ($589,000), and United Arab Emirates ($509,000). The OEC also reports that Nigeria’s rice imports increased by 4.6% from 2020 to 2021, while its rice exports decreased by 19.3% in the same period.

The USDA Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) estimates that Nigeria imported 2.3 million metric tons (MT) of rice in 2018, accounting for about 44% of its total demand of 5.2 million MT. The FAS also projects that Nigeria’s rice imports will rise to 2.4 million MT in 2019 and 2.5 million MT in 2020, due to population growth, urbanization, and changing consumer preferences.

The BBC News cites a report by the Africa Rice Center that Nigeria imported nearly 17 million MT of rice over the past five years, spending $5 million a day for rice shipments. The BBC also notes that rice accounted for 1.26% of Nigeria’s entire budget for 2017.

Rice Imports: Why and What are the Effects?

Nigeria’s dependence on rice imports is mainly driven by the gap between its domestic production and consumption. Despite efforts to boost local rice production through various policies and programs, such as the Anchor Borrowers’ Program, the Presidential Fertilizer Initiative, and the ban on foreign exchange for rice importers, Nigeria still faces challenges such as low yields, high costs, poor infrastructure, inadequate processing facilities, and smuggling.

The effects of Nigeria’s rice imports are both positive and negative. On the positive side, rice imports help to ensure food security, stabilize prices, and satisfy consumer preferences for high-quality rice. On the negative side, rice imports drain foreign exchange reserves, undermine local production, create unemployment, and expose the country to external shocks.

Rice Imports: What are the Alternatives?

Nigeria has the potential to become self-sufficient in rice production and even export to other countries if it can address the constraints facing its rice sector. Some of the possible alternatives to reduce its reliance on rice imports are:

Increasing investment in research and development to improve seed varieties, agronomic practices, pest and disease management, and post-harvest technologies.
Enhancing access to credit, inputs, extension services, and markets for smallholder farmers and processors.
Improving infrastructure such as irrigation systems, storage facilities, roads, and railways to reduce losses and costs.
Strengthening quality control and standardization to ensure compliance with consumer expectations and international norms.
Promoting public-private partnerships to foster innovation, coordination, and competitiveness.
Implementing effective policies and regulations to curb smuggling, protect local producers, and encourage value addition.

References:

https://www.nigerianstat.gov.ng/pdfuploads/GDP_Report_Q3_2019.pdf

http://garj.org/full-articles/the-performance-of-rubber-exports-in-nigeria.pdf?view=download

http://www.emrc.be/documents/document/20121205120841-agri2012-special_session-tony_bello-min_agric_nigeria.pdf

https://oec.world/en/profile/bilateral-product/rice/reporter/nga
https://apps.fas.usda.gov/newgainapi/api/report/downloadreportbyfilename?filename=Grain%20and%20Feed%20Annual_Lagos_Nigeria_5-6-2019.pdf
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-38795673

https://www.bbc.com/news/60324939

https://oec.world/en/profile/bilateral-product/rice/reporter/nga

https://knoema.com/atlas/Nigeria/topics/Agriculture/Trade-Import-Quantity/Rice-imports-quantity

https://knoema.com/atlas/Nigeria/topics/Agriculture/Trade-Import-Value/Rice-imports