A bill seeking to mandate the inclusion of high-quality cassava flour in edible wheat flour production has passed its second reading in the Senate.
Sponsored by Senator Saliu Mustapha (APC, Kwara South), the bill proposes that all producers of edible flour in Nigeria or those importing wheat flour include at least 20% cassava flour in their products.
The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, referred the bill to the Senate Committee on Agriculture, directing it to report back within four weeks.
Leading the debate, Senator Mustapha highlighted the need to reduce Nigeria’s dependency on imported wheat, which costs the nation over $3 billion annually.
He emphasized that the over-reliance on wheat imports negatively impacts the economy by creating trade imbalances, depleting foreign reserves, and fostering food dependency.
“By including cassava in wheat flour production, this bill…
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