Kebbi targets 60% Nigeria’s rice needs — Bagudu

Governor of Kebbi State, Atiku Bagudu, said the state has targeted 50-60% of Nigeria’s rice needs. The governor, during a courtesy call by Managing Director of Access Bank to Government House Birnin Kebbi, also assured that the state will also be able to provide 20% of Nigeria’s wheat needs within three or four years. “Our […]

Governor of Kebbi State, Atiku Bagudu, said the state has targeted 50-60% of Nigeria’s rice needs.
The governor, during a courtesy call by Managing Director of Access Bank to Government House Birnin Kebbi, also assured that the state will also be able to provide 20% of Nigeria’s wheat needs within three or four years.
“Our objective is to move from our current number one position as rice producing state to provide 50-60% of Nigeria’s rice needs. And to be able to also provide 20% of Nigeria’s wheat needs within three or four years.
“We have met with the flour millers who have agreed to obtain whatever is produced. They told us that, last year they imported about $4 million worth of wheat,” he said.
The governor said all the achievements have been made easier by the guidance and support of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), who have most often been in Kebbi.
The Access Bank MD, Herbert Wigue, said the purpose of their visit was to meet with the governor and find a way to support the state in the area of agric and ago processing industry as well as rice milling capability.
“One of the things we pride ourselves in is that, we see Kebbi State increasingly becoming a very important economy particularly in the area of agriculture.
“As a bank that has its root in Nigeria, we are interested in partnering to solve the problems of agriculture specifically in boosting rice importation and other economic developments in the country,” he said.