The Nigerian Senate on Wednesday amended the Maize Export Prohibition Bill to include a mandatory one-year imprisonment for anyone found guilty of exporting unprocessed maize in large quantities.
The bill, earlier passed by the House of Representatives and forwarded to the Senate for concurrence, seeks to curb the exportation of maize and its derivatives in significant commercial volumes.
During the plenary, the Senate adopted amendments prescribing penalties for offenders.
The bill states that any person who exports, induces, or attempts to export unprocessed maize—including fresh or dried grains and cobs—in commercial quantities of one metric ton or more commits an offense.
Upon conviction, offenders face a fine equivalent to the monetary value of the goods exported, a one-year prison term, or both.
The provision also applies to customs officers or individuals who aid or conspire in such acts. The Federal High Court will hold jurisdiction over violations under this legislation.
Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele, in his lead debate, highlighted the bill’s importance in addressing Nigeria’s ongoing food crisis.
He explained that limiting maize exportation would ensure adequate local supply and mitigate the adverse effects of food insecurity.
The bill, he noted, had undergone thorough legislative scrutiny in the House of Representatives and deserved Senate approval.
However, the provision on maize derivatives sparked debate.
Senator Garba Maidoki of Kebbi South proposed removing derivatives—such as corn flour, cornmeal, cornstarch, and cornflakes—from the bill’s scope.
He argued that exempting value-added products would protect farmers and encourage industrial processing.
The amendment received support from Senator Aminu Abbas of Adamawa Central, who emphasized the economic benefits of the maize value chain.
Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin, presiding over the session, endorsed the amendment, stressing that fostering the maize derivatives industry would create jobs and stimulate economic growth.
With the Senate’s passage of the amended bill excluding derivatives, the National Assembly must now convene a conference committee to harmonize differences between the versions passed by both chambers before sending the final draft to the president for assent.