Nigeria’s reliance on food imports has reached alarming levels, with the country spending a staggering N920.54 billion on imported food items in the first quarter of 2024 alone, according to the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS).
This represents a 95.28% increase from the same period in 2023, highlighting the nation’s struggles with food security and self-sufficiency.
The Comptroller-General of Customs, Wale Adeniyi, who disclosed this in Abuja on Tuesday, revealed that the country’s food import bill has continued to rise, despite efforts to boost domestic food production.
Adeniyi emphasised the need for concerted efforts to achieve food security and stabilise domestic prices.
The massive food import bill has prompted the government to implement measures aimed at reducing the country’s reliance on imported food items. These initiatives include the removal of tariffs and import duties on key staples such as rice, wheat, maize, and sorghum, as well as plans to cultivate over 10 million hectares of land and collaborate with state governors to accelerate food production.
However, the NCS has warned that the tariff suspensions will result in significant revenue forfeiture, estimated at N188.37 billion over the next six months.
To mitigate this, the NCS said it is introducing measures to expedite the clearance of food items, prevent smuggling, and leverage technology to ensure effective implementation of these initiatives.
