BREAKING: FG Finally Begins Sale Of Rice At N40,000 To Nigerians With NIN

Federal Government Launches Sale of 30,000 Metric Tonnes of Milled Rice at Subsidised Rates

The Federal Government has begun selling 30,000 metric tonnes of milled rice to Nigerians at a subsidised rate of N40,000 per 50-kilogramme bag.

During the launch in Abuja on Thursday, the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Abubakar Kyari, expressed his satisfaction with the initiative, stating, “It is my pleasure to welcome you all to this historic, all-important, and long-awaited inauguration of the sale of 30,000MT of federal government-milled rice to Nigerians at a subsidised rate of N40,000 per 50 kilogrammes.”

Mr. Kyari emphasized that this food intervention is timely, given the current challenges faced by citizens. He attributed this initiative to the directive of President Bola Tinubu, who is committed to ensuring that no Nigerian goes to bed hungry.

“This generous act was made possible under the guidance of President Bola Tinubu, who, in his wisdom, deemed it crucial to initiate this food intervention to prevent hunger among Nigerian citizens,” Mr. Kyari added.

He also highlighted that global disruptions, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, the Russia-Ukraine war, and climate change, have impacted food prices and supply chains worldwide, with Nigeria being no exception.

To address potential challenges associated with selling such an essential staple, Mr. Kyari assured that the government has deployed a multi-disciplinary team to ensure transparency, broader access, and the overall success of the initiative.

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The purchase process limits each individual to one 50kg bag of rice. Beneficiaries will be verified using identification methods like the National Identification Number (NIN) and phone numbers to prevent fraudulent activities and ensure fair distribution.

“In light of this, I urge our dear citizens to cooperate with the relevant government agencies to achieve the success of this important initiative,” Mr. Kyari stated.

He further noted that the introduction of 30,000 metric tonnes of rice into the market is expected to lower the price of rice and other related food items.

Dr. Mariya Bunkure, the Minister of State for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), described the event as a significant step towards improving the well-being of Nigerians.

Haruna Sule, Director of the Strategic Grains Reserve at the Ministry of Agriculture, explained that civil servants could purchase the rice using their Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) and NIN. Nigerians will need their NIN to access the rice.

“Once you have any of these three, you present it to the sales operators, and it is logged on the platform that has been created. After this, you proceed to pay electronically with your ATM; once the payment is done, it is linked to the initial sales operator, and it shows that you have paid; then a receipt will be issued with a code number. With this code number, you will be issued with a treasury receipt to show you have paid to the government. Then, you are given a receipt which shows the point of collection and time of collection; this is to eliminate any form of stampede,” Mr. Sule explained.