By Abdullahi Lukman
The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security says nearly 1.9 million bags of fertiliser have been distributed to close to one million farmers in the past two years as part of efforts to strengthen domestic food production and improve national food security.
Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Abubakar Kyari, disclosed this during the ministry’s quarterly stakeholder engagement in Abuja, where government officials, farmers’ groups, civil society organisations and development partners reviewed progress in the agricultural sector and discussed strategies to reduce reliance on food imports.
Kyari said the ministry also distributed 12,000 litres of organic fertiliser and trained more than 3,500 farmers on soil management and sustainable farming practices.
According to him, these interventions aim to improve productivity and encourage environmentally friendly agricultural methods.
The minister noted that regulatory oversight in the fertiliser sector has been strengthened, with 109 fertiliser inspectors trained and deployed, while more than 329 industry stakeholders were educated on compliance standards.
He added that authorities have intensified action against the distribution of adulterated fertilisers, including prosecuting offenders.
Kyari further revealed that a National Reference Laboratory has been constructed and the National Fertilizer Management Platform upgraded to improve fertiliser quality control and transparency in the supply chain.
He cited findings from the 2025 Agricultural Performance Survey conducted by the National Agricultural Extension and Research Liaison Services, which showed increased production of key crops including rice, maize, sorghum, millet, cowpea, yam and cassava compared with 2024.
According to the minister, government interventions are focused on expanding key agricultural value chains such as rice, maize, wheat, cassava, cocoa and oil palm to support smallholder farmers, increase productivity and reduce post-harvest losses.
Also speaking at the event, Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, stressed the importance of transparency and citizen participation in governance, noting that stakeholder engagement is essential for implementing reforms under the government’s development agenda.
Similarly, the Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, reaffirmed the ministry’s commitment to achieving food sovereignty for Nigeria.
In his remarks, the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Marcus Ogunbiyi, said collaboration among stakeholders is critical to transforming Nigeria’s agricultural sector and improving programme delivery.
Participants at the forum raised concerns over the timely supply of seedlings, fertiliser costs and partnerships to boost wheat production and reduce the high price of bread.
Government officials assured stakeholders that these issues would be addressed through ongoing reforms aimed at strengthening the country’s agricultural system.