To address rising food prices, the Federal Government has begun the sale of 30,000 metric tons of milled rice at a subsidized rate of N40,000 per 50kg bag.
This initiative, led by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, targets civil servants and various other Nigerians.
The rice sale follows previous measures by the administration, including distributing 42,000 metric tons of assorted food items to vulnerable groups. These efforts are part of a broader strategy to enhance national food security.
At the Abuja launch ceremony, Senator Abubakar Kyari, the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, praised the President’s dedication to combating hunger.
“This food intervention is timely, given the current economic challenges facing the country,” Kyari remarked. “We are dealing with global disruptions in food chains, and Nigeria has not been immune to the challenges.”
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To ensure fairness and transparency, the government has implemented several measures, including a “one man, one 50kg bag” policy and verification through the National Identification Number (NIN) and phone numbers. Kyari urged citizens to cooperate with the overseeing agencies and expressed confidence that the initiative would help lower the price of rice and other food substitutes.
“Let us work together to ensure that the dream of the Administration to uphold the fundamental right to food for all Nigerians is achieved,” Kyari stated.
“It is expected that with the injection of 30,000 metric tons, and the allocation of 1,000 trucks per state, it will not only crash the price of rice but also impact other food substitutes and alternatives.”
Haruna Abutu, Director of Food and Strategic Reserve at the Ministry, detailed the distribution process.
He explained that to qualify for a bag of rice, individuals must have a National Identification Number (NIN), and those in public and civil service must be registered on the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) platform.
“Once you have a NIN or are on the IPPIS platform, you will need to provide this information at the point of sale,” Abutu said. “We have developed a platform to verify the NIN, and payments will be made electronically via ATM cards. Upon successful payment, a receipt and unique code will be issued, indicating the time and location for rice collection.”
Abutu assured that multiple sales points would be established nationwide to prevent overcrowding and ensure a smooth distribution process.
“We have decided to make everything transparent. To qualify for one bag per person, you must have a NIN or be on the IPPIS platform,” he added.
“At the point of sale, once payment is made and verified, a receipt and collection code will be provided. This system will ensure a fair and organized process across the country.”
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