THE silo concession revitalisation conditions set by the federal government to combat food wastage have been met by Flour Mills of Nigeria Plc.
In a statement signed by the Head of Information of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Mr Ezeaja Ikemefuna, it was disclosed that the company is the only private firm to have met all the conditions and is performing optimally.
“Out of the 17 silo complexes conceded to five private companies, only Flour Mills of Nigeria, which operates three silo complexes under three separate Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs), has met all conditions and is performing optimally,” part of the statement read.
The federal government, through the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Mr Abubakar Kyari, introduced the scheme as part of efforts to help Nigeria attain food self-sufficiency.
Nigeria has an abundance of arable land, but most food items produced by farmers perish due to poor storage facilities. This was the reason the government launched the silo concession revitalisation initiative, backed by the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC).
The programme conceded about 22 out of 33 silo complexes across the country to the private sector to ensure grain availability and affordability nationwide. Since its inception more than 60 years ago, Flour Mills has made substantial investments in the local cultivation of crops such as soybeans, palm fruits, cassava, wheat, maize, sugar cane, and sorghum, alongside the storage, aggregation, and distribution of locally sourced grains.
“Flour Mills is more than a company to Nigeria, but also a strong ally in growth and development. For over six decades, the Group has been a source of livelihood for millions of Nigerian families by providing both direct and indirect employment.
“More than any other business in the country, we have guarded our national heritage with trust, ensuring that our activities are sustainable for the country, the environment, and most importantly, for the people,” the Chief Executive Officer of Flour Mills, Mr Boye Olusanya, stated.
“Flour Mills remains a committed ally and partner for the federal government and the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security under the leadership of Mr Kyari in his transformative projects towards driving food self-sufficiency in Nigeria,” he added.
