Madar (Zinder) - The governor of Niger's Zinder region, Col. Massalatchi Mahaman Sani, on Monday, 2 November 2026, officially launched the second phase of sales of locally grown rice at subsidised prices, the Niger Press Agency (ANP) reported.
According to the agency, the operation is run by the National Office for Hydro-Agricultural Development (ONAHA) with the Solidarity Fund for the Safeguarding of the Homeland (FSSP). A total of 125 tonnes, or 5,000 bags of 25 kg, are being made available to consumers in Zinder region.
A 25-kg bag costs 10,500 CFA francs for Bondourey L1 rice and 8,000 CFA francs for the Brabous-ko L3 and Dambou varieties.
The FSSP is contributing 300 million CFA francs under its second agreement with ONAHA to buy paddy from Nigerien producers, process it and sell it at subsidised prices. The phase covers all eight regions of the country and targets at least 100,000 households, ANP said.
"This operation is much more than a simple commercial transaction; it is a strong political commitment, an act of sovereignty," the governor said, adding that consuming local produce means "taking our food destiny back into our own hands". He credited the Large-Scale Irrigation Programme.
An ONAHA representative said the rice is grown by cooperatives on irrigation schemes and milled at national plants, recalling a first operation held in Zinder in April. The source did not give sale points or market prices for comparison.
