Farmers warn Tinubu new fertilizer policy may hike prices

Farmers, under the Coalition of Farmers Association of Nigeria (COFAN) and Himma Youth Farmers Association of Nigeria (HYFAN), have expressed concern that the new Presidential Fertilizer Initiative (PFI) could push fertilizer costs even higher.

Speaking on behalf of the groups, COFAN National President, Dr. Abubakar Bamai, said that the initiative, launched amid soaring input costs, supply gaps, and uncertainty in distribution, risks eroding gains achieved in the past eight years and worsening Nigeria’s food crisis.

Bamai noted that fertilizer prices currently stand at N58,000 per 100kg, forcing some farmers to sell off their crops just to buy inputs, while others have abandoned their farms entirely.

He said: “COFAN and HYFAN commend President Bola Tinubu for his bold agricultural reforms aimed at repositioning Nigeria’s food systems. However, as the Federal Government restructures the Presidential Fertilizer Initiative, we express deep concern about its immediate impact on Nigerian farmers, especially smallholder and youth farmers. Rising input costs, distribution gaps, and supply uncertainty threaten to undermine the gains made over the past eight years.”

The coalition urged the government to allow the Ministry of Finance Incorporated (MOFI) to continue managing fertilizer raw material importation, warning that abrupt policy shifts could destabilize the supply chain.

Their recommendations to Tinubu include:

• Continuing fertilizer raw material imports until local production is sufficient to meet national demand.
• Ensuring MOFI retains responsibility for managing imports, guaranteeing transparency and efficiency.
• Adopting a balanced approach that protects farmers in the short term while building stronger local capacity in the long run.

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