The federal government is set to begin selling subsidized rice at ₦40,000 for a 50kg bag in several states across the country.
The next states to benefit from this food subsidy initiative will be Lagos, Kano, and Borno.
A director from the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security shared this information with Punch on Monday, speaking on the condition of anonymity. The government announced the sale of subsidized rice to Nigerians at this rate in September, with Agriculture Minister Abubakar Kyari officially launching the program in Abuja.
The ministry official stated that the program is expanding beyond Abuja to ensure that no Nigerian goes to bed hungry. “As I speak with you now, we are going to activate Lagos and Kano states for the sales any moment from now. Borno State is also going to be addressed,” the official said.
Despite rumors of a suspension of the sale in Abuja, the official confirmed that the sales are ongoing. “We have not even gone anywhere; how can we stop? The sales are ongoing, and we are actively engaging with other states,” he said. Civil servants in Abuja, particularly around federal ministries, have benefited from the subsidized rice sales.
However, the official expressed concerns about challenges during the process. Many people crowded the National Agricultural Insurance Corporation (NAIC) center where the rice was being sold, making it difficult to manage. “We opened the NAIC center to see the cooperation of the public, but they proved very difficult to control,” he explained.
The official noted that some individuals blocked entry and ignored sales protocols, complicating the distribution. “Some persons came to sabotage the process to buy and take to the market, which frustrates the essence of the rice subsidy,” the source added.
Despite these challenges, the government is committed to ensuring that low-income earners, who are the primary beneficiaries, can access this essential resource. “We are focused on ensuring that low-income earners can access this vital resource. The government is committed to a smooth rollout in the aforementioned states, aiming to activate sales any moment from now,” the source stated.
The expansion of this program is part of the government’s efforts to tackle food scarcity and support vulnerable populations. A market survey shows that the average price of a 50kg bag of rice currently ranges from ₦80,000 to ₦90,000, depending on the location.
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