The Federal Government has distributed 20 trucks of rice to each of the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, in a bid to tackle the nation’s food shortage.

This was disclosed by the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, following Monday’s Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting.

Idris emphasized that this is just the first step in addressing the food crisis and urged governors to ensure that the rice reaches the most vulnerable citizens.

In related news, Nigeria’s inflation rate has surged to 34.19% as of June 2024, according to the latest figures from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS). The increase in food prices played a significant role, with June’s food inflation rate at 2.55%, up from 2.28% in May 2024.

The NBS report cited rising costs of essentials like groundnut oil, palm oil, water yam, cocoyam, cassava, and various fish types as key contributors to the hike.