A.R.N. Foods Ltd., the Nigerian agricultural commodities trading and processing company led by multi-sector entrepreneur Nola Adetola, has expanded its rice-processing operations with the acquisition of a 120-metric-tonnes-per-day milling facility in Abuja. Production has started at the plant, adding significant capacity as the company scales its food-processing business.

The facility sits on a 20,000-square-metre site and can process as many as 3,000 bags of rice daily, according to a company statement. ARN Foods said the acquisition forms part of its broader strategy to increase processing capacity, strengthen its agricultural value chain and contribute to Nigeria’s food security.

Abuja plant starts production

The Abuja expansion comes as ARN Foods advances construction of a larger rice mill in Epe, Lagos. The Lagos facility, being developed on a 22,000-square-metre site, is more than 90% complete and is scheduled to begin operations in December 2026, according to the company.

Adetola, chairman of ARN Foods’ board, said the new Abuja plant would increase the company’s ability to supply consumers with quality rice at affordable prices. He said the investment reflects ARN Foods’ broader objective of expanding access to locally processed food while supporting agricultural production and food security.

“We are glad to announce that production has started at our new Abuja facility,” Adetola said. “Our customers can expect greater access to high-quality rice at an affordable price. That is what we are known for; giving people access to good-quality food without making it unnecessarily expensive.”

Building a wider food business

Adetola said ARN Foods’ ambitions extend beyond rice sales, with the company seeking to play a larger role in Nigeria’s agricultural economy. “Our mission goes beyond selling rice,” he said. “We want to contribute meaningfully to food security in Nigeria and across Africa,” he added.

Adetola has business interests spanning real estate development, investment finance, energy, agribusiness and enterprise capacity-building. He is founder and CEO of Veritasi Homes, which has delivered more than 1,000 homes across Nigeria. The company has also received international recognition, including being featured by Forbes among Africa’s fastest-growing companies.

From property to agribusiness

Beyond Veritasi Homes, Adetola serves as board chairman of Asteric Asset Management and ARN Foods and as a board director at Fin Star Energy, now rebranded as ARN Energy. His responsibilities across the businesses include corporate governance, strategic planning and long-term value creation, according to company information.

ARN Foods was established to reduce food waste and strengthen agricultural value chains, initially through commodity trading and support for local farmers. Under Adetola’s leadership, the company has expanded into agricultural sourcing and processing, with a focus on quality, transparency and partnerships across the food supply chain.

Capacity set to double

The company’s operations now cover rice, maize, sorghum, soybeans and sesame, alongside commodity trading, agricultural sourcing and processing. ARN Foods has also established a distribution center in Sagamu to improve access to ARN Rice across multiple markets and support the company’s expanding distribution network.

When the Lagos mill becomes operational, ARN Foods will have combined rice-processing capacity of 6,000 bags per day across its Abuja and Lagos facilities. The expansion gives the company a larger production base as it builds out its processing footprint and seeks to increase the availability of locally produced rice.