Rice– a key staple in Nigeria is fast getting out of reach for most households as prices of grain have surged 98.47 percent in one year.

Experts attributed the persistent surge in local parboiled rice prices to the paddy scarcity that is hitting mills across the country.

BusinessDay surveyed some selected food markets in Lagos to find out the prices of a 50kg bag of top brands. In no particular order, here are some top local parboiled rice brands in the country and their current prices:

Mama Gold Rice

Mama Gold has niched a name for itself in Nigeria as first choice amongst food sellers across the country.

Uche, a trader who sells food items in the Olojojo market of Iyana Iworo said, “People who sell food prefer to buy this rice because of how much it swells after it is cooked.”

According to a BusinessDay market survey, a 50kg long grain bag of Mama Gold rice now sells for an average of N78,500 in Lagos.

Royal Stallion Rice

Royal Stallion, a subsidiary of the Stallion Group, is one of Nigeria’s top rice brands.

A 50kg bag of Royal Stallion parboiled rice now costs between N77,000 to N80,000, depending on location and type of grain.

Big Bull Rice

Wacot Rice Limited, producer of Big Bull rice is considered to be one of the largest rice mills in Sub-Saharan Africa.

With its headquarters in Kebbi, Nigeria, the company produces two parboiled rice brands: Big Bull and Patriot.

However, Big Bull is the most famous of the two brands. It is particularly known for its high quality.

A 50kg of Big Bull parboiled rice costs between N77,000 and N80,000, depending on the seller, location, and grain type.

Mama’s Choice Rice

Produced by Olam Group, Mama’s Choice is considered a premium Nigerian rice.

It is clean and does not contain as many stones and dirt as many other Nigerian rice have.

Depending on location and seller, it costs between N87,000 and N90,000 to buy a 50kg bag of parboiled Mama’s Choice rice today.

Elephant Rice

A brand of Elephant Group, Elephant rice is produced in Nigeria.

With its headquarters in Rivers State, Nigeria, the company takes pride in being a leading rice brand in south-south Nigeria.

A 50kg bag of parboiled rice of the brand costs between N77,000 to N83,ooo, depending on the seller and location, and grain type.

Mama’s Pride Rice

Mama’s Pride is quality rice that is grown and packaged in Nigeria by Olam Nigeria.

Depending on location and seller, it costs between N70,000 to N85,000 to purchase a 50kg bag of Mama Pride rice.

Pretty Lady Rice

Pretty Lady is produced by Kaira Rice Mills Limited and is considered to be a sought-after rice brand in the Nigerian market.

The mill came into full operation in 2022 and has since sealed itself in the hearts of both traders and consumers.

The rice is loved for its non-sticky texture after cooking and its fancy packaging of a shiny pink bag.

It comes in both 50 and 10-kg bags and has long and small grain sizes.

A 50kg bag of Pretty Lady rice costs between N72,000 and N80,000, depending on the seller, location, and type of grain.

White Lily

Not a popular rice brand, White Lily is Nigerian-produced rice. Now, a 50kg bag of parboiled White Lily rice costs N83,000, depending on location and seller.

Foreign varieties

Despite boosting local production in recent years, Nigeria is still a major importer of foreign parboiled rice varieties from Thailand and other Asian countries.

A BusinessDay survey in major rice markets in Lagos shows that 50kg of any foreign brand sells between N90,000 and N95,000, depending on the brand and size of the grains.

Published Date: March 11, 2024