The Senate has passed for a second reading a bill that seeks the inclusion of 20 per cent high-quality cassava flour in wheat used in edible flour production across Nigeria or imported into the country.
This initiative, encapsulated in the Cassava Flour (Mandatory Inclusion in Flour Production) Bill, 2023, recently passed its second reading.
Highlighting the economic benefits, the Senate emphasised that integrating cassava into wheat production could significantly reduce Nigeria’s annual wheat importation costs, currently estimated at over $3bn.
The bill’s sponsor, Senator Saliu Mustapha (APC, Kwara Central), explained during the debate on the bill’s general principles that the legislation aims to create a legal framework for incorporating cassava into wheat flour.
He noted, “The Bill…seeks to provide a legal and regulatory framework for the mandatory introduction of…