Last year I boasted about South Africa’s contribution to sub-Saharan maize production, after having contributed nearly 20 percent to total production for 2017/18 season. Furthering my indulgence, I compared South Africa’s maize yields to then second biggest producer in sub-Saharan Africa – Nigeria

Nigeria, Africa’s largest economy, is grappling with an increasing grain import bill as the current lack of a state-supported credit facility for farmers, poor basic infrastructure, surge in farm input costs and insecurity, especially in rice-growing regions, hamper efforts to achieve self-sufficiency in wheat, rice, corn, soybeans and other critical agricultural production.

Nigeria is one of the most developed countries in Africa. In fact, she has progressed tremendously in the service industry of late. She has also improved immensely in the information and communication (ICT) industry.

As Nigerians increasingly shift to consuming greater amounts of wheat flour-based products, the country is forecast to increase wheat imports in 2019-20 by 4%, according to a May 10 Global Agricultural Information report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

The Buhari Media Organisation (BMO) has commended Nigeria as the number one rice producer in Africa and debunks claims by the World Food Programme (WFP) that Nigeria risks sliding into a hunger crisis.

An outbreak of African swine fever in Nigeria is reportedly “decimating” livestocks as farmers cull hundreds of thousands of pigs in efforts to stop the disease.

Nigeria is the largest economy in Africa and a major oil producer. Its grain processing sector is highly concentrated, with some of the world’s largest food sector players.

Rice is one of the staple foods globally, ranking third after wheat and maize in terms of production and consumption.