The Nigerian federal government has announced its intention to completely phase out the annual N941.6 billion wheat importation within the country over the next four years.
This revelation was made by the Minister of Agriculture, Abubakar Kyari, during his visit to various seed wheat production sites in Kano on Friday.
As part of the government’s strategy to ensure massive grain production in Nigeria, Kyari revealed that a 50% subsidy would be provided to wheat farmers in the upcoming dry season.
He also expressed his concern about the significant drainage of the country’s foreign reserves due to wheat imports.
“After a thorough examination of breeder and foundation seeds, we are now confident in our plan to phase out wheat imports before the next irrigation farming season next year,” Kyari explained.
“This is crucial because wheat imports have been draining a significant portion of Nigeria’s foreign reserves.
“Through the programs we have implemented, Nigeria will become self-sufficient in wheat production within the next 4-5 years, eliminating the need for importing wheat seeds. This will lead to an improvement in food production and security,” he added.
According to data from the National Bureau of Statistics on foreign trade, Nigeria spent N941.6 billion on wheat imports in 2022.
