- Minister of Agriculture and Food Security Abubakar Kyari announced that only people with NIN can buy the subsidised rice
- The process will prevent individuals from obtaining more than one bag of rice
- Nigerians reacted to the disclosure, wondering whether rice was the solution to all their problems
The Federal Government has announced that only buyers with National Identification Numbers would benefit as it commenced the sale of 30,000 metric tonnes of milled rice to Nigerians at a subsidised rate of N40,000 per 50kg bag.
President Bola Tinubu, represented by the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Abubakar Kyari, stated during the flag-off ceremony on September 5 that the rice intervention will be sold strictly on a “one person, one bag” basis.
Kyari explained that the 50kg bags of rice, priced at a flat rate of ₦40,000, are part of the Federal Government’s effort to provide subsidised milled rice to help alleviate the ongoing food crisis in Nigeria.
“This food intervention can be said to be timely considering the times and challenges we are in as citizens of this great nation.
“As one of the numerous efforts of the present administration to cushion the effect of high cost of food commodities, kindly join me in applauding the immense efforts of the present administration, such as the release of 42,000MT of Assorted Food Commodities (AFC) to vulnerable and the 30,000MT of milled rice which is being flagged-off for sales to Nigerians today September 5, 2024,” he stated.
On buyer verification, Kyari explained that a multi-disciplinary government task force has been deployed to ensure transparency, broad distribution and the initiative's overall success.
He emphasised that the process was designed to prevent individuals from obtaining more than one 50kg bag of rice, noting that beneficiaries will be verified through identification methods such as the NIN and phone numbers to prevent fraudulent individuals from accessing multiple bags at the expense of other citizens.
“In view of the above, I urge our dear citizens to cooperate with the relevant agencies of government who will try to serve you to achieve this great initiative of government.
“It is expected that with the injection of 30,000MT (1000 trucks of 30MT each of this important staple into Nigeria’s food balance sheet, it will not only crash the price of rice but also other closer food substitutes and alternatives,” he added.
Speaking on the process Nigerians would have to follow to purchase the rice, the Director of Strategic Grains Reserve, Ministry of Agriculture, Haruna Sule, explained that civil servants can access the grains at designated points of sale using their Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System details.
“To qualify for the one person one bag, you must have a National Identification Number, of course, you have phone numbers and those in public service are all registered under the Integrated Payroll and Personal Information System (IPPIS) platform.
“Once you have any of these three, at the point of sale, with the NIN logged into the system, a code number and a Treasury receipt will be generated, and with that, the buyer can get to the collection centre and pick up his bag. The receipt will indicate the time and point of collection to eliminate stampede,” he further expressed.
Sule explained that once the buyer provides the code number, a treasury receipt will be issued as proof of payment to the government, adding that the buyer will then receive a receipt indicating the collection point and time.
He clarified that the collection point is separate from the sales point, adding, “At the collection point, you present your code to our officials, and you will be handed a bag of rice.”
Netizens react as FG begin rice intervention
As seen on X, Nigerians expressed their pains as the federal government demanded NIN to sell rice at subsidised prices.
@localwerey said: “Why does the govt think the solution to everything is rice?”
@NotUrKev wrote: “Since the government are now the ones selling rice for Nigerians with NIN, it seems there's no other way the price of rice can reduce in the market anymore.”
@sterfmarie replied: “Omo na only madness dey worry everybody for this country watin concern NIN with rice again.”
@gentle_theB commented: “So make everybody go get NIN because of Rice 😭😭😂😂”
@GIbadin expressed: “These guys don’t know anything outside rice? Pls reduce the pump price of fuel to 200 Naira, and the people can work and buy rice for themselves.”
@MajurPeng said: “Every problem in Nigeria 🇳🇬 Federal Government Solution is rice.”
@Zonainch wrote: “Seems Nigerians greatest problem is "RICE ". Anytime the FG puts up a terrible policy that will impoverish the citizens, they will share rice, and we're cool. Bruce Wayne juju is very potent 😂.”
@BintDija replied: “Can the average Nigerian person afford 40,000 for a bag of rice?? 💔”
@harrykel2∅ commented: “Where, when, how? No info, just shallow news. We should go figure, right?”
@8Shuga expressed: “Is it rice Nigerians are queuing for now or petrol ?”
@Omobolajipounds said: “Na only people wey get NIN go dey chop like dis. Lol. Because of rice we no hear word for months now. Wetin sup. Shey na only inside pic we go dey see d rice. Bring rice, come out na. 😒”
@Ignatius1222 wrote: “Lori iro. Diversion for the hike in PMS price. Same tactics as the last time. Sheebi dem say na civil servants before 🤣🤣😂”
@AnyimmonIfeanyi replied: “Audio rice🌾”
6-month tariff waiver on staple foods will cost Nigeria N188.37bn – Customs
Earlier, TheRadar reported that the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) Comptroller General, Adewale Adeniyi, disclosed that a total of N3.819 trillion was spent on the total import of staple foods between 2020 and 2023. The NCS said the suspension of six-month tariffs and import duties on staple foods (rice, wheat, maize and sorghum) could cost the Federal Government an estimated N188.37 billion in revenue.
Adeniyi added that the suspension of tariffs and import duties on these commodities for the next six months was a considerable revenue sacrifice.