By Atoyebi Nike
President of Dangote Industries Limited (DIL), Aliko Dangote, has urged African nations to prioritise food security and agricultural self-sufficiency, citing the continent’s vast untapped potential in farming.
Speaking during a visit by officials of the AfricaRice Centre to his Lagos office, Dangote described agriculture as a cornerstone for sustainable development. He said Africa has the land and resources to transform its food systems, but achieving this requires the right policies, investment, and modern farming technologies.
“Africa has the land and resources to thrive in agriculture,” Dangote said. “By investing in this sector, we can tackle many of the socio-economic issues facing the continent.”
He noted that agriculture is central to job creation and income generation, stressing that stronger frameworks would enable Africa to achieve food security while reducing dependency on costly food imports.
Dangote Rice Limited, a subsidiary of DIL, recently entered a N1.8 trillion partnership with Niger Foods Security Systems and Logistics Company. The deal, backed by the Niger State Government, will guarantee steady supplies of high-quality rice paddy for Dangote’s mills, bolstering Nigeria’s food security drive.
Through its rice investments and out-grower schemes, Dangote Industries has expanded its footprint in milling and farming operations nationwide, aiming to boost local rice production while creating jobs across communities.
Dr. Baboucarr Manneh, Director-General of AfricaRice, commended Dangote’s contributions, describing them as vital to strengthening food systems. He highlighted Niger State’s ambitious plan to produce five million tonnes of rice within five years, a target he said could significantly reduce Africa’s annual import of 15 million tonnes.
He also called for stronger public-private partnerships, noting that government leadership, when combined with private sector innovation, would accelerate productivity and reduce import dependency.
Sammy Adigun, Executive Chairman of Niger Foods, reaffirmed the state’s commitment, disclosing plans to expand annual rice paddy output from 1.5 million to 10 million tonnes. He said AfricaRice would support this push through climate-smart technologies, mechanisation, and programmes for both smallholder and large-scale farmers.
