Flour Mills of Nigeria calls for urgent action to boost local wheat, sorbitol production
The appeal was made during a courtesy visit by RMRDC Director General, Nnanyelugo Ike-Muonso in preparation for the upcoming Africa Raw Materials Summit scheduled for May 2025.
NIGERIA – Flour Mills of Nigeria Plc has urged the Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC) to take decisive steps to enhance local production of wheat and sorbitol; two key raw materials critical to Nigeria’s manufacturing and food sectors.
The appeal was made during a courtesy visit by RMRDC Director General, Nnanyelugo Ike-Muonso, to Flour Mills’ headquarters in Apapa, Lagos, in preparation for the upcoming Africa Raw Materials Summit scheduled for May 2025.
The visit aimed to foster collaboration between the Council and major industrial stakeholders to chart a sustainable path for raw material development and industrial growth in Africa.
Ike-Muonso emphasized the significance of the summit as a strategic platform for stakeholders like Flour Mills to engage with counterparts across the continent on value addition and raw material efficiency.
He also shared updates on the Council’s initiative to push a Legislative Bill mandating 30 percent value addition to primary raw materials before export, an effort targeted at reducing the outflow of unprocessed resources and encouraging local value chains.
In response, Osuagwu, Group Head of Procurement at Flour Mills, reaffirmed the company’s commitment to sourcing local inputs such as cassava, sorghum, and wheat.
However, he noted that despite these efforts, wheat remains largely imported due to the stark production shortfall, a situation that demands urgent intervention from both the public and private sectors.
According to a report by Raw Materials 360, the country struggles to meet a national wheat demand of 60 million metric tonnes per year with a meager local production of just 60,000 metric tonnes.
In a raft of measures, efforts to bridge the wheat production gap are gaining momentum through initiatives such as the African Development Bank’s African Emergency Food Production Facility (AEFPF).
The AfDB is collaborating with the Nigerian government to supply wheat seeds and fertilizer for 40,000 hectares in Jigawa State and support an additional 120,000 hectares across 15 other states.
In addition, at the 2025 Wheat Field Day held in Dabi, Ringim LGA of Jigawa State, Governor Umar Namadi revealed that wheat cultivation in the state has grown to 80,000 hectares, up from 55,000 hectares the previous year.
He expressed optimism that Jigawa could reach 500,000 hectares by 2030, aided by the planned establishment of the Jigawa Farm Mechanization Company. The company aims to acquire 300 tractors, 60 harvesters, and other equipment to scale up mechanized farming.
Namadi also stressed the importance of youth involvement in agriculture, noting that empowering young people with access to quality seeds, irrigation, fertilizers, and training would boost productivity and support long-term food security.
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