Farmers across Nigeria have expressed concern that the recently announced Presidential Fertilizer Initiative (PFI) could inadvertently push up the cost of fertilizer and worsen the challenges already facing the agricultural sector.
Reacting to the policy unveiled earlier this week, several farmers’ associations warned that despite government assurances of improved local production and distribution, the structure of the initiative may create market distortions, limit accessibility, and increase prices beyond the reach of smallholder farmers.
The All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), in a statement on Thursday, said that while the policy aims to boost food production and reduce import dependence, it risks leaving vulnerable farmers at the mercy of middlemen and profiteers.
>We welcome government’s intervention, but the initiative as currently designed could trigger higher prices. If the supply chain is not transparent and subsidies are not properly managed, smallholder farmers will suffer the most,” AFAN Chairman, Kabiru Ibrahim, cautioned.
Rural farmers interviewed in Nasarawa, Kaduna, and Ekiti states said the rising cost of inputs, particularly fertilizer, already threatens their ability to cultivate during the coming planting season.
Agricultural experts also noted that Nigeria’s reliance on imported raw materials for fertilizer blending makes the country susceptible to foreign exchange fluctuations, which could further drive up costs under the new arrangement.
The Federal Government, however, insists that the initiative will reduce costs in the long run by strengthening local production capacity and eliminating inefficiencies in the supply chain. The Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security said it is working with the Nigerian Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA) and private investors to ensure competitive pricing.
Farmers have called on President Bola Tinubu to consult widely with stakeholders, review subsidy mechanisms, and provide guarantees against artificial scarcity, warning that unchecked price increases could undermine food security.
