In January 2019 in Kano, the ECOWAS Commission, through its Regional Food Security Reserve, gave a loan of 5,000 MT of cereals to the Federal Government of Nigeria to support the vulnerable populace and Internally Displaced Persons.

In accordance with its commitment, the Government of Nigeria has started replacing the stock, which was made available to them, grain by grain with the same quality specifications and packaging to further strengthen their partnership with the ECOWAS Commission. About 2,430 MT is currently being supplied to the EECOWAS Regional Food Reserve Warehouse at Hotoro Grain Depot, Kano and will be concluded before the end of 2020, while the balance of 2,570 MT of cereals will be completed in 2021 procurement season.

Like the food grains availed for the Governments of the Republics of Niger, Burkina Faso, and Ghana in 2018 and 2020, the grains that were availed to Nigeria were all purchased from small producers of the West Africa region.

To recall, the grain for grain replenishment of the stocks made available to the Member States is necessary to preserve the capital of the Reserve and perpetuate the Regional Food Reserve system, and hence its capacity to intervene at any time in case of crises.