Nigeria’s rice milling industry can compete globally with the right policies and investments – RIMAN Nat’l chairman, Dama

Nigeria’s rice milling industry stands at a critical crossroads. Despite the country’s vast potential to achieve self-sufficiency in rice production, millers continue to grapple with insecurity, smuggling, high input costs, and inconsistent government policies. In this exclusive interview with Abdallah el-Kurebe, ASHENEWS Editor-in-Chief, Peter Dama, National Chairman of the Rice Millers Association of Nigeria (RIMAN) and Chairman of the CARF-FSD Board of Trustees, Nigeria Chapter, speaks on the current state of the industry, the strategies being pursued to make Nigerian rice more competitive, and the urgent policy interventions needed to unlock growth. He also highlights ongoing collaborations with ECOWAS and other partners, the role of youth in transforming the rice sector, and innovative climate-smart practices that can make rice production more resilient and sustainable. EXCERPTS:

As the leader of RIMAN, how would you describe the current state of Nigeria’s rice milling industry, particularly for small and medium-scale millers, and what are the major challenges they face today?

As the leader of RIMAN, I would describe the current state of Nigeria’s rice milling industry as challenging, particularly for small and medium-scale rice millers. The industry is operating below capacity due to several factors, including, among others, the following:

• Insecurity: Attacks on farmlands and kidnappings of farmers, particularly rice farmers, have disrupted agricultural activities, making it difficult for millers to access raw materials.
• High production costs: Soaring prices of inputs, such as seeds and fertilizers, have rendered agricultural pursuits financially unviable for many rice farmers.
• Inconsistent government policies: Frequent policy changes and import waivers have created uncertainty, making it hard for millers to plan and invest in their businesses.
• Smuggling: Massive inflows of smuggled rice have saturated the markets, making it difficult for local millers to compete.
• Infrastructure challenges: Inadequate infrastructure for paddy storage and transportation has hindered the growth of the industry. Lack of efficient energy supply has also impacted rice milling and processing negatively in the country.

In your role as Chairman of the Nigeria chapter of the Competitive African Rice Forum for Sustainable Development, what concrete strategies are being pursued to make Nigerian rice more competitive both locally and across West Africa?

As Chairman of the Nigeria chapter of the Competitive African Rice Forum for Sustainable Development, we have put in place and are pursuing several strategies to make Nigerian rice more competitive by:

• Strengthening the rice value chain: We are working to improve the efficiency and productivity of rice value chains by providing support to farmers, millers, and other stakeholders through:
  • Capacity building: We are providing training and capacity-building programs for millers and farmers to improve their skills and knowledge in collaboration with some development partners at the Rice Miller Training Academy, which was established and approved by the ERO Board.
  • Policy advocacy: We are advocating for policies that support the growth of the rice industry, including tariffs to protect local producers and investments in infrastructure. We are also co-sponsors of the Rice Council Development Bill, Agric Extension Bill, etc., which has passed second reading in the National Assembly. These bills, if passed into law, will help in addressing some of the concerns in the rice value chain sector.

The Forum is supervised by the ECOWAS Rice Observatory (ERO) and hosted by Nigeria’s Ministry of Agriculture. How are these collaborations strengthening rice value chains in Nigeria, and what role do you see for regional integration in boosting food security?

The collaborations with ECOWAS Rice Observatory (ERO) and Nigeria’s Ministry of Agriculture are crucial in strengthening rice value chains in Nigeria. These partnerships:

• Enhance capacity building through the provision of training and capacity-building programs for millers and farmers.
• Promote regional integration by fostering cooperation and knowledge-sharing among West African countries to improve food security.
• Support policy development by providing policymakers with data and analysis to create a more favorable business environment for rice value chain actors.

In addition, regional integration can play a significant role in boosting food security by increasing trade and facilitating trade among West African countries, which can also help to reduce costs and increase the availability of rice; and sharing knowledge and best practices among countries to improve productivity and competitiveness.

Many small and medium millers complain about high production costs, inconsistent policies, and smuggling. What specific policy interventions or government support do you believe are urgently needed to stabilize and grow the rice milling sector?

To stabilize and grow the rice milling sector, the following policy interventions are urgently needed:

• Stop import waivers: The government should reconsider import waivers on rice to protect local producers.
• Tackle insecurity: The government should prioritize security measures to protect farmlands and farmers.
• Reduce input costs: The government should provide support to reduce the costs of inputs, such as fertilizers, seeds, and energy.
• Invest in infrastructure: The government should invest in infrastructure, including roads and storage facilities, to improve the efficiency of rice value chains.
• Fuel subsidy and agricultural loans: A special fuel subsidy for farmers and millers could help reduce production costs. Also, low-interest loans and easy access to agricultural financing mechanisms must be put in place. The issues of difficult bureaucratic processes and demand for collateral for agricultural loans should be removed. The huge interest rates for agricultural loans must be immediately addressed. No farmer or miller can survive with an agricultural loan that comes with an interest rate of between 27 to 30 percent. Agricultural activities must be provided with subsidies for them to grow smoothly in the nation in order to address the crisis of food security in the country.

Rice production and milling are increasingly threatened by climate change, flooding, and post-harvest losses. What innovative practices or technologies is RIMAN or the Forum promoting to make rice production more climate-resilient and sustainable?

The future of rice production and milling in Nigeria depends on the government’s ability to address the challenges facing the industry. With the right policies and support, Nigeria can increase its rice production and milling capacity, reducing its reliance on imports and improving food security.

Nigeria’s rice industry is poised for significant growth over the next five to ten years, driven by government initiatives and private sector investments. The Federal Government’s National Rice Development Strategy (NRDS II) and the ECOWAS Regional Rice Road Map aim to achieve self-sufficiency in rice production by 2030, with a focus on improving productivity, competitiveness, and sustainability in our rice sector. The key opportunities will be:

• Increased productivity: Improved agricultural practices, technology adoption, and access to finance can boost rice yields and quality.
• Growing demand: Nigeria’s large and growing population ensures a steady demand for rice, making it an attractive investment opportunity.
• Government support: Initiatives like the Anchor Borrowers Programme and partnerships with organizations such as the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and Olam International provide a supportive ecosystem for rice production and processing.

Looking ahead, what is your vision for Nigeria’s rice industry over the next five to ten years, and how can young agripreneurs and investors be encouraged to participate actively in the rice value chain?

Over the next 5–10 years, my vision is a competitive, climate-resilient, and youth-powered rice industry that consistently meets national demand, reduces import dependence, creates decent jobs, and lifts incomes across the value chain—from seed to shelf. We can get there by lowering entry barriers for young agripreneurs and investors, strengthening market links, and embedding climate-smart practices at scale.

We can encourage young agripreneurs and investors through Access to finance: Expand affordable credit and grants tailored to youth- and start-up-led ventures to overcome funding constraints; Capacity building: Provide training on modern agronomy, business management, processing, quality standards, and market access; Market linkages: Connect farmers, millers, processors, and off-takers to guarantee steady demand for locally produced rice; Infrastructure: Invest in roads, storage (including cold and hermetic options), and irrigation to cut post-harvest losses and boost efficiency; and Policy support: Maintain consistent, pro-industry policies—such as sensible tariffs on imports—to protect local producers and crowd in investment.

The potential impact of these are Job creation: A thriving industry will generate employment for young people in production, aggregation, logistics, milling, packaging, and distribution; Food security: Higher local output will curb imports, save foreign exchange, and stabilize prices; and Economic growth: A more competitive value chain will raise GDP contributions and improve livelihoods nationwide.

We recognize that rice production and milling face mounting risks from climate change, flooding, and post-harvest losses. Our response is to mainstream proven, climate-smart innovations and, as such, we are scaling innovative and climate-resilient practices.

Climate-smart agronomy

• Alternate wetting and drying (AWD): Cycled irrigation to cut methane emissions and improve soil health.
• System of rice intensification (SRI): Lower water use, stronger root systems, and higher yields with reduced greenhouse gases.

Conservation agriculture

• Minimal soil disturbance to reduce erosion and build long-term soil health.

Agroforestry

• Integrating trees to sequester carbon, enrich soils, and enhance on-farm biodiversity.

Digital innovations

• MRV systems: Measure productivity, resource efficiency, and environmental performance.
• Machine learning: Optimize breeding and anticipate climate stressors.
• Gene editing: Tools like CRISPR-Cas9 to improve nitrogen uptake and reduce emissions-linked traits—delivered with our development partners during field trainings.

Sustainable rice farming

• Climate-resilient varieties: Drought-, flood-, and heat-tolerant lines in collaboration with NCRI (which sits on our Forum’s board).
• Organic amendments & balanced fertilization: Healthier soils with less reliance on synthetics.
• Crop rotation & intercropping: Better soil biology, fewer pests and diseases, higher system resilience.
• Hybrid rice: High-yielding, shorter-duration hybrids that lower methane intensity and fertilizer needs.
• Regenerative technologies: Including salt-tolerant varieties and regenerative soil amendments for salinity-affected fields.

Through our Markets & Trades, SRP, Research, and Technology Committees—led by certified Climate-Smart Agriculture experts—we are transferring these practices via hands-on trainings for farmers and millers. This is how we will build a modern, investable, and inclusive rice economy—one that young Nigerians can lead and grow.

It should be noted that on August 19, 2025, GIZ-MOVE, in collaboration with Olam, launched the Carbon Offsetting Rice Emissions Project in Nigeria. RIMAN and Forum members participated in the launch and we shall be collaborating fully on this project with its core promoters in the country.