TheCable

The multi-billion naira rice mill in Imota, a district in Ikorodu area of Lagos, is almost completed.

The project is said to become the third biggest rice mill in the world and the largest in sub Saharan Africa with 2.5 million bags of 50kg rice annually.

The 32 metric-ton-per hour rice mill had attained 80 per cent completion level as of May.

Gbolahan Lawal, the former commissioner for agriculture in the state, had announced that the project will be delivered before the end of the year.

He said the mill, when operational, will ensure a steady supply of processed rice of about 2.4 million bags of 50kg per annum to Lagosians, in addition to over 250,000 jobs to be created in both the upstream and downstream sectors of the rice value chain.

Lawal said Lagos will collaborate with other states such as Kwara, Sokoto, Benue, Borno and Kebbi to cultivate the required amount of paddy and the provision of inputs such as seeds, fertiliser and irrigation facilities.

“To meet the paddy requirement of the mill, we have undertaken a backward integration in the form of collaboration with other states like Southwestern states, Kwara, Sokoto, Benue, Borno and Kebbi,” he had said.

“This will be done leveraging on the Anchor Borrower Programme (ABP) of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) with the rice mill as the off-taker of the products.”

“The increasing population of the state put pressure on the state’s food security, supply mechanism and available infrastructure, hence the need to prepare adequately to meet the challenges to upscale food production cannot be over emphasised.

“The ministry has, therefore, treated agriculture as both a business and development platforms with a plan to using strategic partners to stimulate investment in the state.”