Lagos State is positioning itself to benefit from the rapidly expanding global fortified rice market, which analysts project will rise from $20.8 billion in 2023 to $36.6 billion by 2033. The surge is driven by growing concerns over malnutrition and increasing demand for affordable nutritional solutions, especially in developing countries.
Nutrition experts have long stressed that large-scale rice fortification in Nigeria is crucial for delivering essential micronutrients that can help combat deficiencies such as anemia. Responding to this need, the Lagos State Government has commissioned a fortified rice-kernel blending machine and unveiled a new fortified Eko Rice brand enriched with iron, zinc, Vitamin B12 (cobalamin), folic acid, pyridoxine, niacin and thiamine.
Dr. Oluwarotimi Fashola, Special Adviser to the Governor on Agriculture and Food Systems, described the move as a major milestone in the state’s food security strategy.
“In our continuous effort to improve, I’m pleased to announce that our mill has been optimized to produce high-quality fortified rice,” he said. “This achievement places us among the few rice mills in Nigeria capable of fortifying rice with key micronutrients such as iron, zinc, and Vitamins B1, B3, B6, and B12. Beyond meeting rising national demand, we are tackling malnutrition and improving the nutritional quality of food available to our people.”
Fashola noted that Lagos, working with international partners, is committed to enhancing food security and raising nutritional standards. He added that the fortified rice will be integrated into the state’s school feeding programme to support vulnerable groups, including pregnant women, infants and older adults.
The fortification programme is backed by global development partners such as the World Food Programme (WFP) and TechnoServe. TechnoServe’s LSFF Portfolio Lead, Ayodele Tella, reaffirmed the organisation’s commitment to strengthening Nigeria’s rice-processing sector, saying it will “continue supporting the expansion and acceleration of the rice-fortification programme in Nigeria.”
Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Systems, Emmanuel Audu, also restated the state’s commitment to expanding fortified rice production. He stressed that effective collaboration with local stakeholders is essential to maintaining quality, adding that Lagos is investing in modern processing facilities to meet rising demand.
Technical Specialist, Food Quality Supply at the WFP, Melas Adoko, said the agency fully supports the Lagos Rice Mill’s fortification initiative as part of its mandate to improve nutrition for vulnerable populations. He noted that the fortified rice will enhance the quality of school meals nationwide and reaffirmed the WFP’s commitment to building millers’ capacity and advancing global food-security goals.
Globally, the rice sector continues to grow. Forecasts from ssricenews.com indicate that global rice volume is expected to hit 889 million tonnes and a market value of $634.8 billion by 2035. Although consumption dipped slightly to 793 million tonnes in 2024 after four years of growth, market revenue climbed to $516.2 billion. China and India remain the largest producers and consumers, accounting for more than half of global totals. International trade is also expanding, with imports reaching 57 million tonnes and exports rising to 59 million tonnes. India remains the leading exporter, while the Philippines recorded the fastest growth in imports.
