FG Launches ₦40,000/50kg Rice, Sets NIN as Requirement Despite Growing Hunger

The Federal Government has mandated that only public servants with a valid National Identification Number (NIN) can purchase the 50kg bags of rice at a subsidised price of ₦40,000.

Minister of Agriculture and Food Security Abubakar Kyari announced the requirement during the launch of the FG’s sale of 30,000 metric tonnes of milled rice.

“Intending beneficiaries would be verified using relevant identification mediums such as the National Identification Number (NIN) and phone numbers to forestall multiple accesses to the commodity by fraudulent individuals,” Kyari stated.

The sale will be strictly regulated, allowing only one bag per person to avoid racketeering. Buyers must present their NIN and phone number or be registered under the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) to qualify for the purchase.

This minister blamed localised factors and global challenges such as climate change, COVID-19 and the Russia-Ukraine conflict for rising food prices in Nigeria. West Africa Weekly notes that this expectation may be overly optimistic given the current economic context in Nigeria. The ongoing high inflation rate, about 33.4 per cent, poses a considerable challenge to sustaining lower prices.

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