The current closure of Nigerian borders has rejuvinated the agricultural business in the country. Rice is one of Nigeria's staple foods and according to the the Minister for State for Agriculture and Rural Development, Mustapha Shehuri, rice farmers are smiling all the way to the bank. 

“They are smiling to the banks with the impressive sales they have recorded and this opportunity has created more jobs, not only in rice production but also livestock and other commodities,” he said. In addition, Shehuri also revealed that the federal goverment has implemented policies to boost production of rice. 

The government’s Anchor Borrowers Programme, has is also said to have yielded results in rice production in spite of its initial challenges. 

The Central Bank of Nigeria stated: “the programme thrust of the Anchor Borrowers Programme is provision of farm inputs in kind and cash (for farm labour) to smallholder farmers to boost production of these commodities, stabilise inputs supply to agro-processors and address the country’s negative balance of payments on food.”

According to the Agricultural Minister:“We look at agriculture as an enterprising business and we assure Nigerians of better jobs from the type of growth that will result from it,” he also assured farmers that equipment would be sold to them at 50 per cent discount "to support and make farming equipment accessible to local farmers in order to achieve food sufficiency and economic growth."

“We will ensure that the equipment and farm inputs procured by the ministry get directly to the people they are meant for (farmers) because they are the bedrock of government investment designed to achieve the government’s policy of economic diversification and growth through the agricultural sector,” he said.