FG vows to make Nigeria Africa’s largest wheat producer, exporter

As Nigeria and other African countries suffer wheat shortage, the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr Mohammad Abubakar, Tuesday, vowed to ensure Nigeria ranks Africa’s largest wheat producer and exporter.

Abubakar made the declaration in his keynote address delivered at the Stakeholders Validation Workshop of the National Wheat Strategy Document for Self-sufficiency in Nigeria held in Abuja.

He said this lofty dream can be achieved if Sudan and Ethiopia can do it why can’t Nigeria achieve more and export to rest of the world.

However, the Minister said 10 years is too long to achieve self-sufficiency in wheat production and others.

In a goodwill message, the Director General of Nigeria Country Department of the African Development Bank, Lamin Barrow, who was represented by Chief Agro-Industry Officer, AfDB, Nigeria, Engr Tabi Karikari, expressed optimism that Nigeria would emerge top in wheat production.

Barrow also made it known about several interventions made by the AfDB in Nigeria’s agricultural sector.

However, he called on government to assist on more land, also on mechanisation, and other inputs.