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Nigeria’s Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Abubakar Kyari, says only Nigerians with duly registered National Identification Numbers (NIN) will be allowed to purchase the federal government’s subsidised rice being sold in the country.

The minister, who flagged off the commencement of sale of the rice, made this known in a statement issued and posted on his official X page on Friday. He said the federal government initiated the NIN policy to ensure transparency and prevent racketeering in the distribution of the subsidised rice.

“Only those with duly registered National Identification Numbers (NIN) will be allowed to purchase the rice, which is part of a broader effort to address the prevailing food crises in the country,” the statement said.

He explained that the rice will be sold at a flat rate of ₦40,000 per 50kg bag, noting that the move is a crucial intervention aimed at mitigating the effects of high food prices.

In recent months, the prices of major staple foods including rice, beans, bread and poultry products among others have skyrocketed significantly in the country, following economic policies such as the controversial removal of petrol subsidy and the floating of the naira policies introduced by President Bola Tinubu’s administration.

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