Agriculture minister blames smuggling for food scarcity in Nigeria

The Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Sen. Abubakar Kyari, has said the smuggling of food to neighbouring countries is one of the factors affecting food availability in the country.

The minister stated this on Tuesday while addressing members of the House of Representatives during the sectoral debate on agriculture and food security.

Present at the sectorial debate are the Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Mr. Sabi Abdullahi, and the Comptroller General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Mr. Adewale Adeniyi, among other top government officials.

“We have seen the smuggling of foodstuffs to other neighbouring countries. This has affected the availability of food items in the country,” the minister said.

Also speaking at the debate, the Customs boss disclosed that President Bola Tinubu had directed that food items produced in Nigeria and seized at the Nigerian land borders be sold directly to vulnerable Nigerians to ease the challenge of hunger in the country.

Adeniyi said: “Mr. President has directed that we sell directly to needy Nigerians food items produced locally but which were seized.

“This is one of the ways to address the hunger and food scarcity we are facing. We have started this in Lagos.

“Also, the president has also directed that imported food items seized by the Nigeria Customs Service should be sold back to the local markets for resale to Nigerians.”

Persecondnews reports that the NCS had, on February 23, 2024, commenced the sale of seized bags of rice to the public at the rate of N10,000 per 25 kg.

Speaking at the flag-off of the exercise in Lagos, the Customs boss announced that Nigerians would require a verifiable National Identification Number (NIN) to benefit from the gesture.