• As CBN remains adamant on boosting local production
During the 2020 Yuletide, Miss Folakemi Ojo made frantic attempts to attract buyers to a rice store where she worked as a sales attendant, but none branched at the store within Daleko Market, a popular foodstuff marketplace located off Isolo-Oshodi Expressway, Lagos.
She expressed frustration over her inability to make adequate sales, while the store was fully stocked with Nigerian rice in preparation for the festive period. The year had been full of COVID-19 pandemic-induced lockdown, #EndSARS protests and violence, partial opening of offices, mass disengagement, working from home, economic recession, and a second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic surge. Economic and purchasing power of most Nigerians had been eroded, but prices of food items were on the high side due to 14% or more inflation rate.