At a Glance
- Large-scale rice farms anchor food security, rural jobs, and regional trade flows.
- Integrated estates cut import dependence through milling capacity and supply-chain control.
- Billionaire-backed and state-led projects attract capital into Africa’s rice economy.
Rice has quietly become one of Africa’s most strategic food commodities.
Rapid population growth, urbanization, and changing diets have pushed demand sharply higher, turning rice into a major pressure point for national food security.
Today, African countries spend billions of dollars each year importing rice, capital that governments and investors are increasingly determined to keep within domestic economies.
At the center of this shift are Africa’s largest rice farms and integrated agro-industrial platforms. Stretching from Nigeria to Uganda, Malawi, Sudan, and Egypt, these estates are redefining how rice is grown, processed, and distributed across the continent.
Their impact extends beyond hectares under cultivation to milling capacity, supply-chain integration, rural employment, and influence over regional trade flows.
Shore Africa chronicled below, seven of Africa’s biggest rice farms and milling projects shaping the continent’s push toward rice self-sufficiency.
1. Imota Rice Mill
Country: Nigeria
Though just 22 hectares, Imota is Africa’s largest rice mill by capacity. It anchors Lagos State’s rice ecosystem, processing output from farms across Nigeria.
2. A.A. Rano Rice Mills
A.A. Rano Rice Mills is one of Africa’s largest rice processing facilities and a cornerstone of Nigeria’s drive for food self-sufficiency. Founded by Nigerian industrialist Auwalu Abdullahi Rano, the Kano-based mill operates at a massive scale, processing hundreds of thousands of metric tons of rice annually. It serves as a key off-taker for farmers across northern Nigeria, reducing post-harvest losses and strengthening domestic supply chains. Beyond milling, the operation supports thousands of jobs and fuels logistics and packaging ecosystems. The mill underscores Rano’s strategic bet on rice as one of Africa’s fastest-growing staple markets.
3. Kereksuk Rice Farm
Country: Nigeria
Covering roughly 45,000 hectares, Kereksuk ranks among Nigeria’s largest rice producers. The operation supports import substitution efforts, feeding local mills and reducing reliance on Asian rice imports.
4. Mtalimanja Holdings Limited (Mtalimanja Rice Plant)
Country: Malawi
Mtalimanja Rice Plant (Malawi) is a significant facility in Southern Africa, owned by Napoleon Dzombe, with a large milling capacity and partnerships with smallholder farmers. Mtalimanja Holdings Limited is a privately owned limited company located in Nkhota-kota, in the central Region of Malawi, adjacent to Lake Malawi. The rice mill is a $17.58 million investment wholly financed by its own equity. The plant has a capacity of milling 200 tons of paddy rice per day.
5. The Kibimba Rice Scheme
The Kibimba Rice Scheme, owned and operated by Tilda Uganda Ltd., is considered the largest and a leading player in Uganda’s rice milling sector, producing and milling significant portions of the nation’s rice, especially from the vast Busoga region. While there are many smaller mills, Kibimba stands out due to its scale, producing around 20,000 tons annually and supplying major supermarkets, also acting as a key processor and exporter.
6. DAL Group
Country: Sudan
DAL Group controls about 13,000 hectares dedicated partly to rice. As Sudan’s largest private conglomerate, DAL’s agricultural footprint underpins national food supply chains.
7. GEFCO For Rice Mills S.A.E. (Gefco)
GEFCO For Rice Mills S.A.E. (Gefco) is often cited as Egypt’s largest rice mill, boasting a capacity of more than 250 tons per day, though Elzomoroda for Food Industries also claims to be one of the largest in the Middle East with a 300-ton-per-day capacity using advanced Swiss technology.
