Economy
Stakeholders Identify Reason for Local Wheat Production Shortage
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
Stakeholders in the wheat value chain have identified one of the reasons for the shortage of production of the commodity in Nigeria.
They said the inability of smallholder farmers to have access to high-yielding-seed varieties was making it difficult for producers to meet domestic demand for wheat in the country.
If this problem persists, they warned that Nigeria may not achieve self-sufficiency and drastically reduce the importation of wheat by 60 per cent over the next two years as targeted by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
There is a need for a concerted effort by the government and other critical stakeholders within the wheat value chain to galvanize and aggressively drive the wheat development programmes in the country, they submitted.
Wheat is used in producing staple foods such as semolina, bread, noodles and pasta, which form a regular part of meals in most urban and rural households in the country.
The importance of wheat foods to the national population, therefore, underscores the need to develop the domestic wheat value chain which currently is not delivering enough to meet the growing demand for wheat derivatives; hence, the need for interventions from the government at different levels and other stakeholders in the wheat value chain to address the challenges in promoting local wheat production in Nigeria.
As it stands, increasing the total yield per hectare of national farmlands is critical to reaching food sufficiency levels that will meet the needs of over 200 million Nigerians.
In deepening the impact of the wheat development programme, the Flour Milling Association of Nigeria to which Crown Flour Mill is a major contributor to is also working with the Lake Chad Research Institute (LCRI) in Maiduguri and the Institute for Agricultural Research (IAR) at the Ahmadu Bello University, to train local smallholder farmers on the latest agronomic practices.
The expanded wheat development efforts are yielding impressive results. Smallholder farmers that are participating in the FMAN wheat development programmes have shown remarkable technical improvement that is matched by impressive feedbacks and output.
A delegation from Olam, the parent company of CFM, travelled to Jigawa after participating in a wheat development webinar programme organized by the agribusiness conglomerate in Abuja, farmers attested to the impact of the high level of support provided by the millers’ association and its partners.
One of the wheat farmers remarked, “We were advised to plant at a particular time to get the best yield possible but I insisted on doing things my way. It nearly cost me the season, but I came back to the (FMAN) team for assistance and this time around, I heeded their advice and the result was unbelievable.”
Expatiating on CFM’s wheat development support drives, Ashish Pande, the Managing Director of the wheat milling firm said, “Our commitment to research and development is the key to why we’ve been successful as an organization over the years and have been able to consistently create better quality, safe, great-tasting and more reliable food produce/products which meet our customers’ needs and improve the livelihoods of our farmers.”
Despite having access to a large expanse of farming lands in places such as Borno, Bauchi, Yobe, Kano, Jigawa and Zamfara States, smallholder wheat farmers have not been able to meet domestic consumption demand for wheat.
It is apparent that without removing the seed-variety barrier, the acute shortage of locally produced wheat will persist. Whereas this would necessitate the continued reliance on wheat importation to bridge the widening domestic production-consumption gap, it does not portend well for national food security.
The economic and social costs of relying on wheat importation are enormous. While the foreign exchange is being sourced by local wheat millers to import the crop to meet national consumption demand, the exchange position of the local currency is affected and precious employment opportunities that could be generated by smallholder farmers if harvest reaches full capacity, are also lost.
Stressing the need to remove the seed variety barrier to improved domestic wheat production, Mohammed Salim, president of the Wheat Farmers Association of Nigeria (WFAN) said, “One of our challenges is getting quality seeds every two years. Wheat is an open-pollinated crop and the maximum you can do with a particular seed is four years or thereabout. So, if the government can finance the research institutes to come up with new varieties every two years, that will sustain production and keep the farmers in business.”
Going by this insight by Salim, providing sufficient finance to fund local research institutes to develop new seed varieties for local farmers biennially is key to bridging the domestic production-consumption gap in the wheat value chain.
However, Crown Flour Mill Limited (CFM), a subsidiary of the Olam Group and makers of the Mama Gold flour brand, in collaboration with other members of the Flour Milling Association of Nigeria (FMAN), is leveraging its agro experience, extensive industry network and deep investment portfolio to aggressively support the domestic agro research institutes to drive innovation and make high-yielding seed varieties available to local wheat farmers. The investment and innovative approach form a bold new drive to raising local wheat production levels while keeping smallholder farmers in business, as suggested by Salim.
As part of the collaborative approach to making high yielding seed varieties available to local wheat farmers, CFM, alongside other contributors and partners at the milling association, under the Certified Seed Production Programme, have established a research farm to nurture the seed varieties it brought into the country from the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Centre (CIMMYT) in Sudan and Mexico. These efforts add to an ongoing partnership that the millers are implementing with various seed production companies comprising Rahama Seed, Greenspore and Premier seed.
In the coming months, the massive partnership network is expected to lead to the distribution of 150 tons of wheat seeds to around 3,000 smallholder farmers in Nigeria.
The deliberate wheat development programmes embarked upon by CFM and others under the auspices of the flour milling association, when fully optimized, will no doubt reduce the high dependence on imported wheat. It will also reduce the foreign exchange wheat import bill while boosting the national economic diversification agenda.
In the end, the Nigerian consumers are going to be the real beneficiaries of the increasing level of the various interventions and wheat development programmes undertaken by CFM and other leading millers. The consumers will continue to have access to their most cherished wheat foods such as semolina, pasta, noodles and bread at the right quality, quantity, nutritional value and most affordable shelf price.
By Adedapo Adesanya
Nigeria attracted $10.37 billion in capital importation in the first quarter of 2026, representing an 83.8 per cent increase from the $5.64 billion recorded in the corresponding period of 2025, according to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).
The latest Capital Importation Report released by the stats bureau also showed that capital inflows rose by 60.97 per cent from $6.44 billion recorded in the fourth quarter of 2025.
The report stated, “In Q1 2026, total capital importation into Nigeria stood at $10.37bn, higher than $5.64bn recorded in Q1 2025, indicating an increase of 83.83 per cent. In comparison to the preceding quarter, capital importation increased by 60.97 per cent from $6.44bn in Q4 2025.”
Analysis of the inflows showed that portfolio investment remained the dominant source of foreign capital, accounting for $9.86 billion or 95.09 per cent of the total amount imported into the economy.
The stats office disclosed that foreign direct investment stood at $135.08 million, representing only 1.30 per cent of total capital inflows, while other investments accounted for $374.48 million or 3.61 per cent.
“Portfolio Investment ranked top with $9.86bn, accounting for 95.09 per cent, followed by Other Investment with $374.48m, accounting for 3.61 per cent. Foreign Direct Investment recorded the least with $135.08m, representing 1.30 per cent of total capital importation in Q1 2026,” the report added.
A further breakdown showed that money market instruments attracted the largest share of portfolio investments at $6.50 billion, while investments in bonds amounted to $3.23 billion.
Equity investments under the portfolio category stood at $131.81 million.
The banking sector emerged as the biggest destination for foreign capital during the quarter, attracting $7.55 billion, representing 72.79 per cent of total inflows.
The financing sector followed with $2.43 billion or 23.42 per cent, while the production and manufacturing sector attracted $152.27 million, accounting for 1.47 per cent of total capital imported.
Other sectors that received foreign investments included shares, trading, agriculture, information technology services, telecommunications, oil and gas, transport, construction, healthcare, education, and consultancy services.
The United Kingdom remained Nigeria’s largest source of foreign capital, accounting for $5.08 billion or 49.01 per cent of total inflows. The United States followed with $3.18 billion, representing 30.69 per cent, while South Africa accounted for $983.83 million or 9.49 per cent.
Among financial institutions, Standard Chartered Bank Nigeria Limited received the highest capital inflow during the quarter at $4.41 billion, representing 42.56 per cent of the total.
Stanbic IBTC Bank Plc followed with $2.78 billion or 26.79 per cent, while Rand Merchant Bank handled $930.82 million, accounting for 8.97 per cent.
Other banks that facilitated capital inflows into the country during the period included Citibank Nigeria, Access Bank, First Bank of Nigeria, Guaranty Trust Bank, Zenith Bank, FCMB, Ecobank, Fidelity Bank, and United Bank for Africa.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
The 2026 licensing round for oil fields is expected to commence in the third quarter of 2026, the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) has disclosed.
This followed the approval of President Bola Tinubu, who doubles as the Minister of Petroleum Resources.
A statement issued by the spokesperson of NUPRC, Mr Eniola Akinkuotu, on Wednesday said the authorisation is in compliance with the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA).
“We are also fortunate that the President and Minister of Petroleum Resources has approved the 2026 Licensing Round,” the chief executive of the agency, Mrs Oritsemeyiwa Eyesa, was quoted as saying in the statement when she received representatives of Meren Energy (formerly Africa Oil) in Abuja yesterday.
Mrs Eyesan, who expressed satisfaction with the conduct of the 2025 Licensing Round so far, stated that the commercial bid would take place in July, after which the next licensing round would commence.
The NUPRC boss said the heightened participation in the 2025 Licensing Round was a testament to the fact that Nigeria was headed in the right direction.
She said the rise in investments, coupled with the upswing in production, was evidence that Nigeria’s oil and gas sector, under the leadership of President Bola Tinubu, had become attractive.
“We are in the process of finalising the 2026 launch, which will happen by the third quarter at the latest. So, this is the make-or-break point, and we want to make sure we make it,” she stated.
In his remarks, the chief executive of Meren Energy, Mr Oliver Quinn, said the current reforms had inspired the company to increase its investments in Nigeria, hence its interest in asset divestments and licensing rounds, revealing that his company’s investment priority is Africa, of which Nigeria ranks as number one.
“We have operated in Agbami, Akpo and Egina world-class fields. I think till date, in 20 years, about $11bn in capital from our side has gone into these assets, and about $4bn has gone to tax and royalties,” he said, adding, “Nigeria remains the core of our business today because of the quality of these assets.”
According to Mr Quinn, Meren Energy is pressuring its partners on these assets to deepen their investments and then increase overall production, noting that the energy firm was the first in Nigeria to sell crude oil to the Dangote refinery and will continue to fulfil its Domestic Crude Supply Obligation so long as the price remains right.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The NASD Over-the-Counter (OTC) Securities Exchange extended its gains by 0.91 per cent on Wednesday, June 3, spurred by three price gainers led by FrieslandCampina Wamco Nigeria Plc, which rose by N13.90 to sell N210.41 per share versus the previous day’s N196.51 per share. MRS Oil appreciated by N10 to N190.00 per unit from N180.00 per unit, and Food Concepts Plc added 5 Kobo to sell at N3.00 per share versus N2.95 per share.
As a result, the market capitalisation increased by N23.91 billion to N2.660 trillion from N2.636 trillion, and the NASD Unlisted Security Index (NSI) gained 39.97 points to finish at 4,446.27 points, in contrast to Tuesday’s 4,406.30 points.
The NASD exchange witnessed three price losers at midweek, led by Nipco Plc, which shrank by N21.30 to close at N325.97 per unit compared with the previous session’s N347.27 per unit, Nitrox Industrial Gases Plc went down by N1.20 to quote at N24.30 per share versus the preceding session’s N25.50 per share, and Central Securities Clearing System (CSCS) Plc weakened to by 69 Kobo to N75.41 per unit from N76.10 per unit.
The volume of trades yesterday significantly improved by 71.5 per cent to 527,221 units from Tuesday’s 307,363 units, as the value of transactions soared by 49.9 per cent to N64.2 million from the preceding session’s N49.9 million, and the number of deals surged by 9.5 per cent to 46 deals from 42 deals.
When trading activities ended for the day, Great Nigeria Insurance (GNI) Plc remained the most active stock by value on a year-to-date basis with 3.4 billion units valued at N8.4 billion, followed by Infrastructure Credit Guarantee (Infracredit) Plc with 2.3 billion units worth N6.5 billion, and CSCS Plc with 64.6 million units exchanged for N4.4 billion.
GNI Plc also ended the session as the most traded stock by volume on a year-to-date basis with 3.4 billion units sold for N8.4 billion, followed by Infracredit Plc with 2.3 billion units traded for N6.5 billion, and Resourcery Plc with 1.1 billion units transacted for N415.7 million.
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