NGF, BOA seek reliable data to boost rice production

The Nigeria Governors’ Forum, the Bank of Agriculture and other stakeholders in the rice value chain have called for a unified agricultural data system to address inconsistencies in production figures and boost rice production in the country.

They made the call during a stakeholders’ meeting in Abuja on Wednesday, at the launch of the North-West Rice Diagnostic Report, where participants identified unreliable data, insecurity, inadequate financing and poor coordination among government institutions as some of the challenges affecting the rice sector.

The NGF Director-General, Abdulateef Shittu, said Nigeria produces about 3.3 million metric tonnes of rice annually, against an estimated consumption of 8.6 million tonnes, leaving a significant supply gap that requires urgent intervention.

He stated, “As you can see from the discussions and all the issues that have been raised today, Nigeria consumes a lot of rice. My good friend, the MD of the Bank of Industry, is here.

“The statistics keep changing, and they say we consume about 8.6 million metric tonnes of rice, even though they are saying that next year we may be consuming 9.1 million metric tonnes. And what do we produce? We produce only 3.3 million metric tonnes.

“So, you can see the huge gap. How do we address this? That is what the panellists have all been talking about. There are a lot of policy flip-flops, policy mismatches and quite a number of other challenges that we will all have to address.

“My motto is simply that there is no challenge without a solution and no problem without a solution. All we need to do is address our minds to these problems, and we will solve them.”

He said Nigeria has the potential to become a net exporter of rice to African countries and parts of Europe, stressing the need for better coordination and efforts to address challenges in the agricultural sector.

He said the NGF’s Agriculture and Rice Policy Dialogue Exchanges had spent the past year addressing issues relating to public finance, budgeting, productivity, inclusivity and data.

NGF DG continued, “Data, of course, is central to everything. Everything you want to do, data is at the heart of it. I have a friend who said data is the next oil; it is the oxygen that drives and propels development. We all have to take this seriously, and that is why the NGF has set up a dedicated department for data to mine and harvest data across all sectors.

“We have encouraged every state in Nigeria to establish its own State Bureau of Statistics. You heard what Kaduna said, and it is not Kaduna alone. Every other state has its own State Bureau of Statistics because we have to start mining our own raw data at the local level and then bring all those data to the federal level.

“The aggregate of all the data at the state level will constitute the national data. If you talk about GDP, it is the same. It is the aggregate of all the state GDPs, plus the FCT, that will equal the GDP of the country.”

The Nigeria Governors’ Forum said it was working to improve the reliability of agricultural data through quarterly engagements among heads of state bureaux of statistics to address data gaps and challenge inaccurate figures provided by development partners.

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The Managing Director of the Bank of Agriculture, Ayodeji Sotinrin, said the bank financed 25 aggregators who supported over 500,000 farmers during the 2025 wet season, adding that it was targeting 700,000 farmers in the current season.

He said the bank was expanding its mechanisation programme with 4,000 tractors and 24,000 implements to cover at least 2.4 million hectares annually through mechanisation service providers.

Sotinrin stated, “We are looking at about 15 dams to see how we can finance farmers around the multipurpose dams, working not only with aggregators but also cooperatives and water users’ associations because those are the real people on the field.

“Then you talk about other associations, such as AFAN and other farmers’ associations. We have been running away from our associations for a while, for reasons better known to all of us. The bank has recorded huge losses where many of our associations took facilities and did not repay them.

“So, just to add to the work the NGF is doing, we are happy to partner with not only the NGF but also the states.
We have two programmes with the states. One is what we call the Smallholder Support and Value Chain Fund.

“We have a central fund within the bank, and we are creating sub-funds in states through matching funds.”

He also disclosed that the bank was developing a guaranteed minimum price scheme for rice and other staple crops to protect farmers from market fluctuations, while exploring financing opportunities around 15 dams and other irrigation facilities to promote year-round rice production.

On mechanisation, Sotinrin said the bank was acquiring an additional 2,000 tractors and 14,000 implements, which would be deployed through mechanisation service providers to cultivate about 2.4 million hectares annually.

The Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa representative, Phillip Obosi, stressed the need for a stable policy environment to attract private investment and strengthen Nigeria’s rice sector.

He warned that inconsistent regulations could discourage investors. Citing USDA projections, adding that Nigeria’s expected importation of 2.9 million metric tonnes of rice in 2026, valued at $1.4bn, would put pressure on foreign reserves.

Obosi urged governments to implement the report’s recommendations through adequate budgetary provisions and practical programmes.

Similarly, the Director-General of the Rice Processors Association of Nigeria, Dr Andy Ekwelem, identified poor farmer records, inaccurate data, adulterated inputs, weak extension services and insecurity as major challenges facing rice processors.

He urged governments to provide certified inputs, improve farmer identification and secure farming communities, while addressing rising energy and operational costs.