Tinubu unveils N61bn savings in massive fertiliser push

…Targets 128,930, small holder farmers, in 25 states

…As Tinubu hails MOFI, NADF, for strengthening fertiliser value chain, food security

…Says moved early to mitigate fertilizer crisis caused by Middle East war

​President Bola Tinubu on Thursday said Nigeria is on course to deliver a 1.1 million metric tonne fertiliser programme in 2026, equivalent to about 22 million bags nationwide.

​Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, said in a statement that the President commended the Ministry of Finance Incorporated (MOFI) and the National Agricultural Development Fund (NADF) for their roles in strengthening Nigeria’s fertiliser value chain.

​As of May 2026, more than 449,000 metric tonnes of fertiliser inputs, equivalent to approximately nine million bags, had been secured, with 10 vessels either discharged or in transit.

​Strategic contracting yields billions in savings

​According to the President, strategic contracting arrangements for key fertiliser inputs generated savings of ₦61.58 billion in 2026 alone, helping to moderate costs and improve affordability for Nigerian farmers.

​He also highlighted that Nigeria now has more than 90 operational fertiliser blending plants, giving the country the largest fertiliser blending capacity in Sub-Saharan Africa. This infrastructure supports local industry, employment generation, and agricultural resilience.

​The President noted that disruptions in global supply chains and rising costs of key fertiliser inputs, compounded by conflict in the Middle East, posed significant risks to agricultural productivity and food prices worldwide.

​Mitigating global supply chain disruptions

​He said Nigeria moved early to mitigate these risks through strategic interventions across the fertiliser value chain. The President applauded the two federal government agencies for improving access for farmers, supporting local production, and advancing the administration’s food security agenda.

​President Tinubu said the interventions implemented through the Presidential Fertiliser Initiative (PFI), now restructured under MOFI, and the Renewed Hope Farm Input Support Programme (RH-FISP), implemented through NADF, demonstrate the administration’s commitment to fulfilling its promise to make food security a major pillar of the Renewed Hope Agenda.

​“When we came into office, we made a promise to Nigerians that food security would be a major pillar of our Renewed Hope Agenda,” President Tinubu said. “We promised to support our farmers, strengthen local production, reduce dependence on imports, and build an agricultural system strong enough to withstand shocks from beyond our borders. That promise is being kept.”

​Ensuring last-mile access for smallholders

​Through the PFI under MOFI, the government strengthened procurement systems, secured critical raw materials, signed forward supply agreements, improved coordination across the value chain, and protected local fertiliser blending plants from the worst effects of global market disruptions.

​President Tinubu said while MOFI’s work had strengthened procurement and protected local blending capacity, NADF’s intervention focused on last-mile access, ensuring that locally produced fertiliser reaches smallholder farmers in time for the planting season.

​“Securing inputs and keeping blending plants active is only the first step. The real test is last-mile access — getting fertiliser to the farmers who need it, when they need it,” the President said.

​Driving modern agricultural practices

​On fertiliser access for farmers, President Tinubu commended NADF for implementing the Renewed Hope Farm Input Support Programme, which is currently distributing 515,720 bags of locally produced fertiliser to 128,930 smallholder farmers across 25 states and the Federal Capital Territory during the current planting season.

​He also acknowledged NADF’s efforts in supporting modern agricultural practices through digital extension services, harmonised fertiliser application guidance, and targeted interventions for priority crops, including rice, maize, cassava, and soybean.

​President Tinubu reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to protecting farmers, raising productivity, strengthening agricultural value chains, supporting local industry, and reducing pressure on food prices. “Our administration will not relent in its efforts to strengthen Nigerian agriculture and protect food security for every Nigerian,” he concluded. “This is the meaning of promise made, promise kept.”