The Nigerian Senate has passed a bill seeking to criminalise the exportation of unprocessed corn in large quantity. The new bill makes illegal to export unprocessed corn from a minimum of 1 metric ton, an indication of the government’s resolve to tackle domestic food shortage before exporting.
The new bill states that any individual who exports, facilitates the export, of unprocessed maize—whether in grains, on cobs, fresh, or dry—in large commercial quantities of at least one metric ton or more, is guilty of an offence.
Corn is a popular staple food in Nigeria and it is also used as a raw material to produce animal feed, drinks and processed flour. Since the removal of subsidy and floating of the naira, corn and other staple food prices have skyrocketed with headline inflation also hitting a record high.
The Nigerian Senate is hoping that with the new bill, the country can prioritise domestic consumption before allowing a staple food like maize to be exported. This means locals must have enough here before a large quantity like 1 metric ton is sent outside the shores.
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Also, the bill passage comes on the back of a projection by the The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) that there will be a rise in Nigeria’s 2024/25 corn exports to 75,000 metric tons from its 2023/24 estimate of 50,000 metric tons.
With the expected increase in corn exports, Nigeria might not be able to meet its domestic corn demand hence the move by the Senate to pass this new bill.
