Firm to Support Food Processing Industry, Targets W’African Export Market

Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja Halba Foods is positioning to contribute to Nigeria’s food processing industry through an economic production strategy centred on affordability, efficient manufacturing, scalable operations and regional trade. The Managing Director of Halba Rice Mills Ltd, Halifa Bala Rabiu, who spoke on the company’s business plans, said the company intends to develop a business model that makes essential food items accessible to consumers across different income levels while expanding its footprint across West Africa. Rabiu said Halba Rice Mills seeks to address one of the challenges facing consumers in the food market; difficulty of purchasing essential commodities in large quantities due to limited purchasing power. “We want to come up with something new by making these items very affordable in a way that everyone can afford,” Rabiu said, explaining that the strategy would focus on providing rice and edible oil in smaller package sizes. Rather than concentrating solely on the conventional 50-kilogramme and 25-kilogramme rice bags, the company plans to introduce smaller options, including one-kilogramme and 500-gramme packs. He added that a similar approach would be adopted for edible oil, with the aim of making smaller quantities available to consumers who cannot afford to purchase larger volumes at once. Rabiu noted that affordability involves more than reducing prices; it also requires making products accessible to households and lower-income consumers who need to buy essential food items in quantities that match their immediate financial capacity.