Policy inconsistency major obstacle to Nigeria’s economic, agricultural devt – Sanusi
By lucy Ogalue/Fortune Abang
The Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, says persistent policy inconsistency is a major obstacle to the country’s economic and agricultural development.
Sanusi said this during a joint session of the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) and the African Development Bank (AfDB) organised on the sidelines of the Nigeria Economic Summit in Abuja.
The event is with the theme: “Investing in Innovative Food Systems Solutions in Challenging Contexts.”
He said Nigeria’s biggest problem remained the lack of continuity in government policies and failure by Nigeria’s civil service to serve as an institutional memory to sustain reforms beyond political transitions.
“The biggest problem I have seen with our country is the lack of policy continuity. Every time you have an election, it is as if everybody starts on a clean slate.
“A civil service that should preserve institutional memory has either by design or default failed to do so, so every few years, we come back discussing the same issues,” he said.
Sanusi recalled how, during his tenure as CBN Governor, he initiated a study of six agricultural value chains to improve lending to the sector and promote investments in local production.
He cited the tomato value chain in Kano as an example of how well-intentioned reforms collapsed due to poor follow-through.
“We discovered 13 tomato varieties suitable for paste production, but outdated laws blocked their commercialisation.
“We had to fight for policy amendments, yet before the reforms could mature, the project was abandoned,” he stated.
According to him, Nigeria must focus on building strong agricultural value chains that attract private investment rather than relying solely on government funding.
“There is not enough money in government to fix every farmer’s challenge. What government can do is create confidence for private investment to thrive,” he added.
Sanusi further warned against frequent policy reversals such as the recent relaxation of food import restrictions, which he said have discouraged investors and bankrupted farmers.
“In trying to bring down food prices, we wiped out the profits of producers and created non-performing loans in banks. If we keep changing direction, we’ll never fix poverty or attract investment,” he said.
Sanusi urged the government to link agricultural policies to long-term development goals, emphasising that policy consistency was vital for fighting poverty, ending insecurity, and building an inclusive economy.
“Fixing the value chain is the best way to deal with poverty in northern Nigeria. But we must ensure the next government does not start from stage one again,” he added.
Also speaking, Gov. Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa said that agriculture remained Nigeria’s most reliable sector.
“In the last GDP report, oil contributed only 4.17 per cent while agriculture accounted for over 26 per cent. This tells you where our real strength lies as a nation,” he said.
He said that Nasarawa was taking practical steps to show commitment beyond policy statements.
“We identified 10,000 hectares for cultivation and started with 2,000 hectares. After the first harvest, we sold our produce directly to Olam, and that experience showed us the viability of large-scale farming.
“We have since expanded by another 1,300 hectares, clearing new land and investing in irrigation and mechanisation,” he said.
The governor added that the state was leveraging existing federal storage facilities in Lafia to reduce post-harvest losses and enhance food preservation.
“Most of our harvests go straight to the Lafia silos before being sold to major processors like Olam.
“We want to show that government can be a real player in the agricultural chain, not just a regulator.
”Every state in Nigeria has agricultural potential; what we need is seriousness and policy stability to unlock it,” he said.
Also, Gov. Umar Radda of Katsina State reiterated the need to fix the seed system in the country.
“Nigeria cannot talk about agricultural progress without first fixing the seed system.
“What most of our farmers are planting today are grains, not real seeds. Without good seeds, you cannot improve yield, no matter how much you invest.
“In Katsina, we are working tirelessly to ensure we produce quality seeds locally so our farmers can increase productivity,” he said.
He emphasised the challenges of fragmented landholding in the North and called for smarter agricultural innovations to boost output.
“Because of our land tenure system, farmlands are scattered into small plots. The only way out is to combine improved seeds with modern technology and innovation.
“That is how you raise productivity and make farming profitable again,” he said.
Radda also echoed concerns raised by Sanusi on inconsistent agricultural policies, stressing the need for value addition.
“Right now, our producers are struggling to break even because policy inconsistency discourages investors.
“We must strengthen the entire value chain through agro-processing zones. When we add value to what we produce, we create jobs, improve farmers’ income, and boost the economy,” he added.
Also speaking, the Vice President of Olam Nigeria, Mr Ade Adefeko, announced that the company was expanding its investments in local agricultural processing to boost Nigeria’s value chain development.
“We do not look at challenges; we look at opportunities.
“We are investing 45million dollars to set up a soy crushing facility in Ekiti State, in addition to our existing operations in Kaduna and Nasarawa,” Adefeko said.
He said Olam’s investments reflected confidence in Nigeria’s agricultural potential and called for government policies that encourage both domestic and foreign investors to expand production. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
Edited by Sadiya Hamza
UN, AfDB seek innovative investment to rebuild food systems in fragile regions
By Lucy Ogalue/Fortune Abang
The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) and the African Development Bank (AfDB) have called for increased investment in innovative and production-oriented food systems in Nigeria.
The UN Resident Coordinator in Nigeria, Mr Mohamed Fall, said this during a joint session of both organisations on the sidelines of the Nigeria Economic Summit in Abuja.
The event is themed: ” Investing in Innovative Food Systems Solutions in Challenging Contexts.”
According to Fall, increasing the investments will strengthen resilience and address food insecurity in fragile regions of Nigeria and across Africa.
The UN coordinator said food security was not only about agriculture, but also about peace, dignity, and stability.
He said that farmers in conflict-prone areas continued to show courage, in spite of adversity, stressing that the resilience of rural communities remained a sign of hope for national recovery.
“What we discuss today, food, innovation, resilience is not only about agriculture. It is about peace, it is about stability, it is about dignity of the people that we are serving.
“It is about the millions of Nigerians, who will work, feed this nation and feed even above this nation.
“Across the North, from Yobe to Kano, from Maiduguri to Katsina, we witness courage in the face of adversity.
“Farmers returning to their fields, women’s cooperative building market and young innovators creating smart logistics against all odds. Even in hard soil, resistance is taking root,” he said.
Fall said that a joint study by the WFP, AfDB, and International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) showed that food systems in fragile contexts were not broken, but unfinished.
The UN representative said the study, therefore, called for more trust, investment, and partnerships to complete them.
According to him, Nigeria’s recent progress under the National Agricultural Growth Scheme-Agro-Pocket, which has tripled wheat production within one year, demonstrates what coordinated policy and investment can achieve.
He affirmed that the UN system would continue to support Nigeria’s food security agenda through programmes that reduced post-harvest losses, boost local production, and linked farmers to markets.
Dr Abdul Kamara, Director-General of the AfDB’s Nigeria Country Department, who moderated the session, said addressing food insecurity required moving from short-term humanitarian interventions to long-term investment-driven solutions.
Kamara said that in spite of conflict and climate challenges, Nigeria still possessed huge agricultural potential that could drive economic growth, self-reliance, and improved nutrition.
“Africa must automatically move from fragmented interventions and commitments to comprehensive, action-oriented, and life-scale investments.
“These efforts should integrate humanitarian response with long-term resilience and economic growth, particularly supporting small families.
“This goal requires innovative financing mechanisms, strong national ownership, breakthroughs in technology and policy to unlock Africa’s potential, especially in the most fragile regions,” Kamara said.
Kamara recalled that the message was also reaffirmed last week at the Africa Development Bank’s Africa Resilience Forum.
He said the new joint study by the WFP and AfDB had mapped investment opportunities in Northern Nigeria’s food systems, identifying areas for value-chain development, production enhancement, and private sector participation.
According to Kamara, over 10 billion dollars has been spent on humanitarian interventions in Northern Nigeria since the onset of conflict.
He said that similar resources, if invested in production and resilience, could have transformed the region’s food security landscape.
He urged development partners, government, and the private sector to co-invest in sustainable solutions that would expand food production, strengthen storage and processing facilities, and increase access to finance for farmers.
Stakeholders at the event reaffirmed their commitment to advancing resilient food systems through inclusive investments that would promote peace, create jobs, and ensure long-term food security in Nigeria.
Edited by Mark Longyen
FG/IFAD VCDP boosts rice yields, empowers farmers
By Felicia Imohimi
The Federal Government/International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) Value Chain Development Programme (VCDP) has increased rice yields in Nigeria from the national average of 2–2.5 tonnes per hectare to between five and six tonnes per hectare.
Mrs Dede Ekoue, IFAD Country Director, disclosed this at the 12th Joint Supervision Mission Inception Workshop of the FG/IFAD-VCDP on Tuesday in Abuja.
She said the achievement was a demonstration of the transformative potential of improved agricultural technologies and practices.
Ekoue highlighted other key accomplishments of the programme, including market linkages through the Commodity Alliance Forum (CAF), sustainable innovations, inclusive empowerment, and climate resilience initiatives.
She said the programme has generated over $40 million for more than 16,000 rice farmers through 878 formal agreements with off-takers.
According to her, these sales were facilitated through the project’s flagship Public-Private-Producer Partnership (4Ps) platform, which has strengthened farmer–market linkages and created win-win partnerships with the private sector.
“On sustainable innovations, women and youth are converting agricultural by-products into value-added products such as briquettes and animal feed, turning waste into wealth while reducing environmental degradation,” Ekoue said.
She added that through the Adaptation for Smallholder Agriculture Programme (ASAP), the project promotes climate-smart practices, digital tools for weather and market information, and investments in land development, irrigation, and erosion control.
Ekoue further said over 39,000 beneficiaries, including 12,000 youth and 22,000 women, have been trained in income-generating activities, equipping them with skills to thrive in agribusiness and entrepreneurship.
She noted that these achievements reflect the power of collaboration between federal and state governments, farmers, communities, the private sector, and IFAD.
According to her, the achievements contribute to the objectives of President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and the National Agriculture Technology and Innovation Policy (NATIP), as well as the Kampala CAADP Declaration adopted by African Union member states in January 2025.
Ekoue explained that the mission would follow standard supervision objectives, including reviewing the implementation of recommendations from the previous year and assessing progress in each area.
She added that the exercise would also identify best practices and challenges, while formulating recommendations to guide activities for the coming year.
She urged stakeholders to focus on solutions, ensuring that VCDP results endure, its models are scaled, and its benefits continue to reach rural communities long after the programme ends.
Mrs Adebola Iluromi, Director of the Federal Department of Development Partners Projects (FD-DPP), Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, said VCDP continues to stand out as one of the Federal Government and IFAD’s flagship agricultural initiatives.
She said the programme is aimed at improving the livelihoods of smallholder farmers and enhancing food security nationwide.
Iluromi added that the project, implemented in nine states, focuses on rice and cassava value chains, targeting production, processing, and marketing segments.
“These two crops remain essential to our national Food Security Agenda, and we are proud that through VCDP, many Nigerian households now have improved access to these staple foods,” she said.
She assured that the ministry remains committed to sustaining and consolidating the project’s achievements across all states.
“As the implementing agency, we will continue to work closely with the National Programme Management Unit (NPMU) to ensure that VCDP gains are maintained.
“We will also ensure its successes contribute to our broader national goals of food security, economic diversification, and rural transformation.
“We are confident that with continued partnership and support from IFAD, we can scale up these impacts to reach more communities and households nationwide within the period of the programme,” she said.
Dr Fatima Aliyu, National Programme Coordinator of VCDP, said the programme has successfully achieved its development goals, enhancing food security and increasing the incomes of smallholder farmers on a sustainable scale. (NAN)
Edited by Tosin Kolade
How Nigeria will attain food sufficiency— Scientist
By Sylvester Thompson
A post-doctoral researcher at the Food System Research Institute (FSR), Dr Emmanuel Abah, says accelerating the circulation of improved seeds and hybrids of staples food is crucial to boosting food security nationwide.
Abah said this during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Abuja.
He said also recommended optimisation of fertiliser use and implementation of soil fertility management with organic and mineral inputs as part of the measures to fight food insecurity.
Abah said that Nigeria’s agricultural food system was primarily driven by smallholder farmers, informal value chains, and a diverse range of staple crops, including yams, cassava, and maize.
He said crop yield per hectare for many staples were below potential due to low fertilizer application, limited use of improved seeds, poor soil health, among other factors.
He further said that markets remained fragmented and characterised by smallholder traders, poor rural roads, gaps in cold-chain storage, and weak contractual relations between producers and processors.
Abah has an extensive research experience in agriculture food systems, biomass/bioenergy systems, emission control techniques and environmental sustainability.
He advocated the promotion of climate-smart farming techniques such as water harvesting, small-scale irrigation, conservation agriculture, and agroforestry to stabilise yields and sequester carbon.
The expert said rural infrastructure and markets should be enhanced by improving roads, storage facilities, aggregation centres, and digital platforms that connect farmers to buyers as well as the provision of pricing information.
“Minimising post-harvest losses and improving value addition through affordable storage solutions, such as hermetic bags and silos should be in the front burner.
“There should also be village-level processing methods like milling and drying, and cold-chain logistics where necessary.
“Financial services and risk management tools, including microcredit, input vouchers, index insurance, and blended public-private financing to mitigate investment risks should be expanded,’’ he told NAN.
He further called for strengthening of institutional support and extension services by professionalising outreach through blended models involving lead farmers, digital extension, and private providers.
Abah told NAN that this should go along with boosting business skills, and post-harvest handling.
He also advocated policy consistency, improved land tenure system, targeted subsidies, increased investment in research and development for locally adapted crop varieties as part of measures to boost food availability. (NAN)
Edited by Uche Anunne
Tela maize growers anticipate bumper harvest
By Mustapha Yauri
Some maize farmers in northern part of Kaduna State are expecting bumper harvest this farming season, following the introduction TELA maize variety.
TELA maize is a new variety of seed noted for its high yields, drought and insect resistance.
The farmers, who spoke in Makarfi, Sabon Gari,and Soba Local Government Areas of the state, said the hybrid seed outperformed other local varieties in growth, pest resistance and overall productivity.
Malam Tajudeen Gambo, a farmer at Marke village in Makarfi, said he planted TELA variety seed on a 0.3-hectare plot, and observed a remarkable yields compared to the maize seed he had been cultivating in the last 15 years.
“I anticipate about 50 to 75 per cent increase in yields compared to the previous seasons.
“The crop resisted insects and performed excellently well. With this result, I’ll abandon other varieties and expand my farm with TELA maize next season,” he said.
He urged government at all levels to enhance farmer access to the new seed to encourage productivity, reduce poverty and strengthen food security.
Shu’aibu Mustapha, a maize grower at Maraban Gwanda community in Sabon Gari, said he cultivated TELA maize on a quarter-hectare plot, following agronomic guidelines and extension agents’ advice.
“The variety grew faster, no pest attack and the stem not too tall to be affected by wind.
“Because of this, many neighbouring farmers have shown interest in planting it next season,” he said.
However, Adamu Haruna, another farmer at Bagaldi community in Soba, said he faced early challenges due to prolonged dry spell after planting, which affected the seed germination.
“Despite the drought, the TELA seed still germinated better than other varieties would have, nearby farms nearby that planted other variety seeds faced attack by armyworm, but my TELA maize field was not affected,” he said.
Haruna said the new maize variety produced larger cobs than usual and attracted interest from other farmers in his area.
“Previously; I harvested about 10 bags from this same field, but this season I expect 15 to 17 bags,” he said. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
Edited by Augusta Uchediunor and Muhammad Lawal
AFAN launches digital ID, database for farmers
By Patricia Amogu
The All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN) on Wednesday unveiled a digital identity card and database platform to strengthen its farmers’ register and accurately capture the identity of members nationwide.
AFAN also inaugurated an advisory board to represent the interests of members and engage government on their behalf.
The National President of AFAN, Dr Farouk Rabiu-Mudi, said the digital database would provide farmers with a platform to seek solutions to challenges in farming systems and food production.
“For long, farmers have been suffering in Nigeria. We need to come together with one voice through our commodity associations so that farmers can speak with unity and strength.
“Farmers constitute about 70 per cent of Nigeria’s population, yet we remain voiceless. Our data has not been properly documented,” he said.
He explained that the advisory board comprises people with experience across business sectors and large organisations, who would support AFAN’s work and amplify the voice of farmers.
According to him, AFAN has also inaugurated a farmers’ databank and helpline to support members’ activities and address their complaints.
“With the helpline, a farmer anywhere can report issues, and we will channel the complaint to the right authority for resolution,” he said.
Rabiu-Mudi added that the new digital ID card would authenticate farmers’ membership and ensure that data remains under the control of commodity associations.
“For example, if an organisation wants to support maize farmers, such support must go through the commodity association president, who will verify the beneficiaries before authorising release of data,” he said.
The Head of Operations, Grotechnologies, the project consultant, Mr Adeyemo Ayooluwa, said the platform would help farmers access loans and other benefits from the Bank of Agriculture.
He added that AFAN had deployed agents in different states to assist even the most illiterate farmers to enrol in the database.
Also, the National President of the Poultry Association of Nigeria, Mr Sunday Obiora, noted that some government policies had reduced prices of feed, frozen chicken and eggs.
He warned that the policy on rice and food importation could discourage local production and cause farmers financial losses. (NAN)
Edited by Abdulfatai Beki/Tosin Kolade
FG distributes farm inputs to Ebonyi smallholder farmers
By Douglas Okoro
The Federal Government has distributed assorted farm inputs to smallholder farmers in Ebonyi to boost food production and guarantee food security.
The distribution was performed in Abakaliki by Mr Ikemefuna Ezeaja, an Assistant Director of Communication in the Agriculture Ministry on behalf of the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Sen. Abubakar Kyari.
Kyari said that the gesture was in line with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and the declaration of state of emergency on food security by the Federal Government in July, 2023.
The minister said that the administration had demonstrated strong political will to reposition the agricultural sector by empowering real farmers with the needed support.
According to him, the inputs distributed include herbicides, fertilisers, plastic crates, knapsack sprayers, FARO 44 rice seeds, electronic weighing scales and water pumps.
He said that the inputs were handed out through commodity associations, cooperative groups, bodies of farmers with special needs as well as internally displaced persons (IDPs).
“It gives me great pleasure to welcome you to this historic event of inputs distribution to farmers in Ebonyi on our way forward to delivering on the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu.
“This administration has made food security a priority and is supporting smallholder farmers with inputs and equipment to boost agricultural production and ensure national food security,” Kyari said.
He stressed that the present administration was committed to strengthening agriculture to improve rural productivity and reduce poverty in line with the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) on Zero Hunger.
Dr William Obazi, the Coordinator of the Ministry in Ebonyi, said the farm inputs would be distributed to real farmers through cooperative societies and farmers associations across the state.
“We have registered a good number of cooperative societies to ensure these inputs reach the actual farmers.
“The minister has made it clear that agriculture is a real business and every Nigerian should face it with vigour so that food will be available, affordable and even surplus for export,” Obazi said.
Also speaking, Mrs Comfort Ifedinachi, National President of She Grows Her Food Cooperative Society, commended the federal and state governments for taking the distribution down to the grassroots.
She praised Gov. Francis Nwifuru for creating an enabling environment for farming, stressing that food prices in the state had become more stable due to government interventions.
“I am so delighted because, unlike before, rice is now affordable at between N18,000 and N20,000 per bushel.
“These inputs are worth millions of naira and they are being given to real farmers, not political farmers.
“We assure the government that we will put them to good use, especially for dry season farming,” Ifedinachi said.
Mr Chinedu Nwigwe, Chairman of Chiamaka Cooperative Society, said the intervention would encourage farmers to embark on year-round farming.
“With these inputs, many farmers will farm all year and ensure food is available. Already, staple foods such as garri and rice are becoming more affordable in the local market,” Nwigwe said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the distribution is part of Federal government’s efforts to mitigate food crisis, increase agricultural production and ensure food sufficiency across the country. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
Edited by Maureen Atuonwu
Farmers urge FG to sustain fertiliser raw material importation
By Felicia Imohimi
The Coalition of Farmers Association of Nigeria (COFAN) and the Himma Youth Farmers Association of Nigeria (HYFAN) have urged the Federal Government to sustain the importation of fertiliser raw materials.
They said this should continue until local production capacity is guaranteed.
Dr Abubakar Bamai, COFAN President, made the call at a news conference jointly organised by the two associations on Tuesday in Abuja.
The event focused on the “Restructuring of the Presidential Fertiliser Initiative (PFI) and Its Effect on Nigerian Farmers”.
“Government should continue the importation of fertiliser raw materials until local production capacity is fully reliable to meet national demand,” he said.
Bamai said the government must adopt a balanced approach that protects farmers in the short term while building stronger local capacity for the future.
He discouraged any ban on raw material importation, warning that such a move could allow private blenders to monopolise the industry and further raise prices beyond the reach of smallholder farmers.
“Nigerian farmers cannot afford a disruption in fertiliser supply at this critical moment,” he said.
Bamai commended President Bola Tinubu for reforms and programmes aimed at repositioning Nigeria’s food systems.
He said the reforms reflected strong commitment to farmer empowerment, youth inclusion and food security.
He, however, expressed concern about the ongoing deliberation on the restructuring of the PFI, saying it could have immediate negative effects on smallholder and youth farmers.
“Rising input costs, distribution gaps, and uncertainty in fertiliser supply threaten to undermine the gains made over the past eight years,” he said.
“We deeply appreciate your reforms, but we appeal: do not kill the legacy of Buhari’s agricultural transformation on fertiliser access,” he added.
Bamai recalled that under former President Muhammadu Buhari, the PFI was a cornerstone of agricultural transformation, as it ensured affordable fertiliser through the importation of raw materials and support for local blending plants.
“Millions of farmers benefited from this intervention, which boosted food production and strengthened food security,” he said.
He also urged the Federal Government to involve the Ministry of Finance in managing raw material importation to ensure efficiency, transparency and stability in the supply chain.
Bamai reaffirmed the commitment of COFAN and HYFAN to partner with government, the private sector and development partners to ensure that the restructuring of the PFI protects farmers and strengthens national food security. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
Edited by Tosin Kolade
MOFI to sustain strategic reforms for sustained fertiliser supply
By Nana Hauwa Musa
The Ministry of Finance Incorporated (MOFI) says it will sustain implementation of strategic reforms for the Presidential Fertiliser Initiative (PFI) 3.0, with a focus on year-round nationwide operations.
The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of MOFI, Dr Armstrong Takang, said this in a statement by the Executive Director, Portfolio, Mr Tajudeen Ahmed, in Abuja on Tuesday.
Takang said that the reforms would enhance availability, cost efficiency and stronger traceability to curb hoarding and diversion.
He said that the key priority was accelerating local sourcing, with a clear push to increase the proportion of inputs produced domestically over the coming years.
He said that the shift would strengthen the country’s agro-industrial base and reduce reliance on unpredictable imports.
According to him, MOFI is set to take over operational management from the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA) by November 2025.
“This transition is expected to strengthen governance and provide seamless continuity as the programme enters its next, more ambitious phase.
“The central mission of the PFI 3.0 remains providing Nigerian farmers with timely, affordable and reliable access to fertiliser.
“The system is now more resilient and dependable, giving farmers confidence in consistent supply,” he said.
He said that the focus of PFI extended beyond mere volumes.
“We are meticulously building a system that can insulate farmers from global market shocks and instil the confidence needed for long-term agricultural planning.
“We see the PFI as a prime example of public–private collaboration that can solve complex national challenges, and its future is a testament to Nigeria’s capacity for strategic reform.
“This strategic inflow has enabled consistent local production, with over 4.5 million metric tonnes of finished fertiliser produced between 2021 and 2024.
“Cumulatively, since its inception, the PFI has facilitated the production of over 128 million bags of fertiliser, delivered directly to farmers across the country,” Takang said.
He said that the Fertiliser Producers and Suppliers Association of Nigeria (FEPSAN) confirmed that a growing network of blending plants is key to this sustained output.
“They have witnessed significant improvement in productive capacity since the PFI’s inception.
“The number of operational blending plants has increased to over 90 across the country, giving us a total blending capacity of up to 13 million metric tonnes.
“This capacity is a critical asset in ensuring fertiliser is consistently available for our farmers, bringing it closer to their farms and reducing transportation costs,” he said.
He said that the supply was robust, as industry leaders acknowledged farmers’ concerns regarding rising prices in recent seasons.
According to him, the industry leaders clarify that these pressures are a direct result of foreign exchange volatility and global raw material costs, and not local scarcity.
“To address these external pressures, the PFI is preparing for its third phase, PFI 3.0, which was endorsed at the August stakeholder roundtable in Abuja,” he said.
Takang said that between 2022 and 2025, 48 distinct vessels delivered critical raw materials for fertiliser blending under the PFI.
He said that in 2025 ten vessels had already discharged, accounting for more than 560,000 metric tonnes of inputs received at Nigerian ports.
He said that the steady inflow was laying the foundation for robust production and ensuring continuity of supply and stability across Nigeria’s fertiliser value chain.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the PFI is a flagship programme of the Federal Government designed to provide farmers with reliable and affordable access to high-quality fertiliser. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
Edited by Kadiri Abdulrahman