Japan grants Nigeria rice seed production

Japan provided a grant of approximately 587 million Japan — Japanese yen (about $3.5 million) to Nigeria to strengthen rice seed production. The grant, announced at a handover ceremony at the Nigeria — National Cereals Research Institute (NCRI) in Badeggi, Nigeria — Niger State, will finance modern agricultural equipment including tractors, rice transplanters, combine harvesters, and laboratory equipment. The project aims to enhance NCRI's capacity to produce high-quality breeder and foundation rice seeds, improving seed quality for farmers and supporting Nigeria's Second National Rice Development Strategy (2020-2030) to double domestic rice production by 2030. The initiative is implemented with support from the Japan — Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and aligns with Japan's commitments at TICAD 9. Nigerian officials, including Minister of State for Agriculture Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, welcomed the support as timely and strategic for food security and economic transformation.