The Food Strategic Reserve Programme in Nigeria has been a pivotal initiative aimed at strengthening food security, stabilizing market prices, and providing emergency food relief both domestically and internationally. It embodies Nigeria’s commitment to addressing food availability challenges and supporting local agricultural productivity. This article delves into the history, policies, and the evolving structure of this programme, alongside Nigeria’s strategic shifts in agriculture and food storage over the past few decades.

To effectively implement the Strategic Grains Reserve, Nigeria initiated the construction of large-scale storage facilities in 1987. The initial phase saw the development of five silo complexes with a capacity of 25,000 metric tons (MT) each, followed by the acquisition of a sixth silo with a capacity of 11,000 MT, resulting in a combined capacity of 136,000 MT. These silos became operational in 1992 and have since played various roles in Nigeria’s emergency response and food stabilization efforts.

Expansion of Silo Capacity

Today, the FGN owns 33 silo complexes with a planned combined capacity of 1.336 million MT upon completion. Additionally, 51 warehouses across the country contribute 108,000 MT to Nigeria’s total storage capacity. These facilities are intended to improve food security and ensure that Nigeria can meet emergency food demands effectively.

Silo Locations in Nigeria

Silos in Nigeria are located in the following locations:

1. Ilesha, Osun State
2. Minna, Niger State
3. Dutsin-Ma, Katsina State
4. Gusau, Zamfara State
5. Yola, Adamawa State
6. Lokoja, Kogi State
7. Lafia, Nasarawa State
8. Bauchi, Bauchi State
9. Ilorin, Kwara State
10. Irrua, Edo State
11. Maiduguri, Borno State
12. Uyo, Akwa Ibom State
13. Jalingo, Taraba State
14. Okigwe, Imo State
15. Damaturu, Yobe State
16. Yenagoa, Bayelsa Stat

1	Silo Location	Storage Capacity (Metric Tonnes)
2	Ilesha, Osun State	25,000
3	Minna, Niger State	25,000
4	Dutsin-Ma, Katsina State	25,000
5	Gusau, Zamfara State	100,000
6	Yola, Adamawa State	25,000
7	Lokoja, Kogi State	25,000
8	Lafia, Nasarawa State	25,000
9	Bauchi, Bauchi State	25,000
10
11	Ilorin, Kwara State	25,000
12
13	Irrua, Edo State	25,000
14
15	Maiduguri, Borno State	100,000
16	Uyo, Akwa Ibom State	25,000
17	Jalingo, Taraba State	25,000
18	Okigwe, Imo State	100,000
19
20	Damaturu, Yobe State	25,000
21	Yenagoa, Bayelsa State	100,000
	Total	700,000

Year of Completion of Silo

1	Silo Location	Year of Completion
2	Ilesha, Osun State	2015
3	Minna, Niger State	1991
4	Dutsin-Ma, Katsina State	2013
5	Gusau, Zamfara State	2014
6	Yola, Adamawa State	2016
7	Lokoja, Kogi State	2019
8	Lafia, Nasarawa State	2017
9	Bauchi, Bauchi State	Completed but suffered windstorm damage
10
11	Ilorin, Kwara State	Under rehabilitation
12
13	Irrua, Edo State	Operational, rehabilitated but not test- run
14
15	Maiduguri, Borno State	Over 90% completed. Work stalled due to insurgency
16	Uyo, Akwa Ibom State	Over 90% completed
17	Jalingo, Taraba State	Over 80% completed but suffered civil disturbance damage
18	Okigwe, Imo State	70%
19		completed
20	Damaturu, Yobe State	Over 70% completed, work stalled due to activities of insurgence.
21	Yenagoa, Bayelsa State	Construction stalled due to topographical problems
	Total