Nigerian Government Assures Availability of Subsidized Rice Across the Country

In a bid to ease concerns over the availability of subsidized rice, the Nigerian government has assured its citizens that the N40,000 per 50-kilogram bag of rice is already available across various locations in the country. This comes amid growing concerns that the product has yet to be available in Nigerian markets at the promised price.

Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, made this known during a press briefing in Abuja on Wednesday. According to the Minister, the rice has been distributed across designated locations, pending the commencement of sales to Nigerians.

Idris emphasized that the government is taking necessary measures to ensure that the sale of the rice is not hijacked by a few individuals who may have the means to purchase large quantities, thereby denying the intended beneficiaries of the subsidized rice.

"We will give Nigerians details on the point-by-buy locations of where it’s been sold once the sales kickoff," the Minister assured. "Care is being taken so that it will not be hijacked by those who have money to purchase in large quantities and mop it up with the intended beneficiaries getting it."

The Minister’s clarification comes after the government announced on Monday that the price of a 50kg bag of rice has been reduced by 50 percent to N40,000, with a call to citizens to shun the August 1, 2024 protest.

The government’s move is aimed at making the subsidized rice more accessible to Nigerians, who have been struggling with the high cost of living. The Minister’s assurance that the rice is already available across the country is expected to alleviate concerns and boost confidence in the government’s efforts to address the issue.

The development is a significant step towards fulfilling the government’s promise to provide affordable rice to Nigerians, and it remains to be seen how the plan will unfold in the coming days.