Federal Government Inaugurates Steering Committee For Project Wheat-Ness, Sets Stage For Transformation of Nigeria's Wheat-Based Foods Sector
The Honourable Minister of State for Industry today inaugurated the Steering Committee for Project WHEAT-NESS (Wheat-Based Consumer Foods Value Chain Optimisation and Cost Competitiveness Programme), a national initiative approved by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, to transform Nigeria’s wheat-based consumer foods value chain and improve the affordability of staple wheat-based foods for millions of Nigerian households.
The event, held at the Bank of Industry, Tower 1, Central Business District, Abuja, formally constituted the Committee that will provide strategic direction and oversight for the Programme, and marked a major milestone in moving Project WHEAT-NESS from presidential approval to full implementation.
Project WHEAT-NESS is designed to catalyse the transformation of Nigeria’s wheat-based consumer foods value chain by addressing critical value-chain bottlenecks, improving enterprise productivity and competitiveness, and stimulating demand for Made-in-Nigeria wheat-based foods.
The Programme responds directly to improving the cost of wheat-based staple foods for Nigerian households, a burden driven in large part by the country’s heavy reliance on wheat imports and a value chain that remains fragmented and inefficient across milling, processing, and distribution. By making the value chain more efficient — from input supply through to the finished product on the shelf — the Programme is expected to ease production costs, stabilise prices, and place affordable, quality wheat-based foods within easier reach of Nigerian families.
The Steering Committee, which will provide strategic direction and oversight for the Programme, is composed as follows:
- Chairperson: Senator John Owan Enoh, Honourable Minister of State for Industry, Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment
- Member: Mr. Raymond O. Omachi, Permanent Secretary (Finance), Federal Ministry of Finance; Represented by Mr. Dalhat Muhammad Kamal, Director, Permanent Secretary’s Office
- Secretary: Mr. Telta Naphtalie David, Representative, Deputy Director, Federal Department of Agriculture, Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security
- Member: Mr. Eyo Asuquo, Representative from the Organised Private Sector
Mr. Gerald Okunsebor has been appointed Programme Coordinator, and will lead the Programme Delivery Unit responsible for the Programme’s day-to-day implementation. Mr. Okunsebor brings to the role a background in global management consulting, where he managed complex, multi-stakeholder projects, alongside experience in government advisory work supporting public sector institutions on policy implementation and delivery. His appointment reflects the Programme’s emphasis on strong, professional execution capacity at the helm of its delivery unit.
With the Steering Committee now inaugurated and the Programme Charter adopted, the Programme Delivery Unit will proceed with the operational steps required to bring Project WHEAT-NESS fully to life, including the finalisation of the Programme’s account and budget, and the roll-out of the Programme’s value chain and enterprise support activities.