Nigeria Accounts for 70% Maize Production in West Africa

Dele Ogbodo in Abuja
The Director General of the National Seed Council of Nigeria (NSCN), Mr. Phillip Ojo, yesterday said Nigeria produces 70 per cent of maize seeds in the West African region, making it the seed-leading nation of the sub region.
Ojo who spoke at the sideline at the launch of three high yielding conventional maize hybrid brands by Monsanto agriculture company in Abuja, said the development was a step towards food sustainability in the country.

While the council plays regulatory roles in seed multiplication and cultivation, he urged the company to carry out aggressive sensitisation to the framers on the need to buy into the seed ideology.
According to him, nobody promotes some of the global brands that are making wave across the world today, adding that it is the company that does sensitisation and campaigns.

The DG said: “But the responsibility of the regulator is to ensure that the quality of seeds dished out is good, and that we have to tell our farmers that it is of good quality and that the yield will be good.”

In his remarks, the President, All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), Kabir Ibrahim, commended Mosanto on the launch of the three maize hybrid for Nigerian farmers, adding that the average farmer was desirous of increasing his yield with the right varieties.

He said: “Our rating of Mosanto hybrid maize here today is very high, as the Nigerian farmer is looking for good seed that will bring prospect to him. Very soon, I hope they will embrace it, and that is why we came.”
Also speaking, the Business Development Manager, Mosanto, Mr. Kehinde Johnson, said the introduction of DEKALB maize hybrids in the country will assist Nigerian farmers optimize their production, earnings and ultimately increase profitability.