BORDER CLOSURE AND FOOD SECURITY IN NIGERIA: A STUDY OF DOMESTIC RICE PRODUCTION IN OGUN AND KEBBI STATES, 2015 –2023

Abstract

Border closure by the Buhari's administration has as one of it its major objectives the increase in
domestic rice production as a major means of attaining food security in Nigeria. Therefore
border closure was perceived as means of preventing smuggling of foreign rice and protection of
domestic rice industries that will make rice available and affordable for Nigerians. However,
after the border closure, here was a leap in rice production but there was hike in the price of rice,
which made it unaffordable by most Nigerians. The objectives of the study were to; identify the
objectives of border closure in Nigeria, analyse the interface between border closure and food
security, examine the challenges experienced at the border during border closure, find out
whether border closure led to guaranteed domestic rice production, examine the impediments to
rice production in Nigeria, and proffer solutions to the challenges confronting domestic rice
production in Nigeria. 391 questionnaires were shared among rice farmers and Custom Officers
in Ogun and Kebbi states, while 21 respondents were interviewed and percentage tool was
adopted in data analysis. The study discovered that rice farmers are confronted with high cost of
production such as high price of chemicals, tractors, competition with foreign rice, insecurity,
inability to access the Anchor Borrower's Program. The study recommended among others that
there should be subsidization of farm inputs, setting up of Agrochemical industries, provision of
incentives and adequate security for rice farmers by the government.