The rising cost of rice in Nigeria has been blamed on the activities of cartels, middlemen, and some farmers exploiting loopholes in the value chain.
Leaders of rice farmers’ associations made the claim in separate interviews in Lagos, alleging that despite government interventions, artificial scarcity is being created to frustrate efforts to stabilise prices.
Vice Chairman of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), Mr. Sakin Agbayewa, said although government granted waivers to some companies to import rice, certain players deliberately hoarded supplies.
He added that some farmers also repackage local rice in foreign bags to sell at higher prices, exploiting Nigerians’ preference for imported brands.
In the same vein, Chairman of the Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria (RIFAN), Lagos State Chapter, Mr. Raphael Hunsa, urged government to deal directly with genuine farmers to ensure interventions reach the right people.
He warned that unless local production is properly supported, prices will continue to climb.
Market surveys confirm the spike. A dealer at Oja Oba Market in Agege, Mr. Mustafa Aliu, said the expiration of the rice import waiver worsened the situation, pushing the price of a 50kg bag of local rice to between ₦70,000 and ₦80,000.
At Iddo Market, another trader, Mr. Temitayo Hakeem, disclosed that some premium brands still sell as high as ₦150,000 depending on consumer demand.
Checks by Radio Nigeria show that just two months ago, the same bag of rice sold between ₦44,000 and ₦55,000. The figure has now jumped by over 40 percent.