A bill seeking the establishment of the National Rice Development Council to drive the comprehensive development of Nigeria’s rice sector has successfully passed its second reading in the Senate.
The proposed legislation aims to coordinate activities among rice farmers, processors, millers, researchers, and marketers to optimise the entire rice value chain.
The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, who presided over the session, referred the bill to the Senate Committee on Agriculture for further legislative scrutiny.
Reports say that the bill, sponsored by Adamu Aliero, was initially passed by the 9th Senate and forwarded to the president in 2023, but it did not receive assent before the transition to the current administration. Presenting the lead debate, Aliero highlighted Nigeria’s natural comparative advantage in rice production and underscored the urgent need for a structured body to guide the sector towards self-sufficiency and export readiness.
Meanwhile, the bill now awaits further consideration by the Committee on Agriculture before it returns for a third reading in the Senate.