Nigerian bakers sound alarm on wheat dependence amid federal push for local output

NIGERIA – Nigerian bakers have raised fresh concerns over the country’s deepening dependence on wheat imports, warning that the rising pressure on the industry is becoming unsustainable.

The Premium Breadmakers Association of Nigeria (PBAN) said Nigeria now imports more than 4.8 million metric tonnes of wheat annually to fill a widening supply gap, a situation that continues to strain bakeries nationwide.

Speaking at PBAN’s 2025 Day-Out Exhibition and Master Class held in Lagos, PBAN President Emmanuel Onuorah said the country consumes about 5.1 million metric tonnes of wheat yearly but produces only around 300,000 metric tonnes locally.

He stressed that this imbalance is placing enormous pressure on bakers, noting that bread remains one of Nigeria’s most consumed staples.

Onuorah said insecurity, including banditry, kidnappings, and attacks on farmlands, has crippled domestic wheat production.

The challenging economic environment has also forced over 40 per cent of bakeries nationwide to close between the post-COVID-19 era and 2025, reducing PBAN membership from over 100,000 bakeries to fewer than 60,000.

Operators continue to grapple with high energy costs, multiple taxation, double-digit interest rates, and poor road networks, all of which threaten distribution and profitability.

Despite these hurdles, Onuorah commended President Bola Tinubu for removing the 15 per cent wheat import duty and eliminating VAT on wheat and grains, measures that have helped stabilise bread prices after two volatile years.

PBAN Chairperson of the Planning Committee, Adijatu Olopade, said the exhibition aimed to train bakers on boosting productivity and transforming their businesses into profitable ventures despite economic pressures.

Government to generate US$109M through local wheat cultivation drive

In response to the country’s import dependence, the federal government has set a target to generate N160 billion (US$109M) in output value from wheat cultivation in the 2025/2026 dry season.

Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Abubakar Kyari, announced the initiative at the launch of subsidised input distribution in Jere, Borno State.

The programme, under the National Agricultural Growth and Agro Pocket Project (NAGS-AP), has designated 40,000 hectares for wheat cultivation and registered 80,000 farmers nationwide, including 3,000 hectares and 6,000 farmers in Borno State alone.

Kyari emphasised that the project prioritises input quality, certified seeds, proper fertiliser blends, and timely crop protection to ensure higher yields.

Sixteen states, including Cross River in the south, are participating in the scheme for the first time. He also highlighted that women and youth farmers would be deliberately supported to ensure equitable access to resources and training.

Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum, welcomed the initiative, praising the federal government’s support for irrigation development and noting the state’s vast arable land around the Lake Chad Basin.

Zulum reaffirmed his commitment to all-season farming and support for smallholders, resettled households, women, and youth with improved inputs and training.

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