The Federal Government has announced a strategic collaboration with the International Fertilizer Development Center (IFDC) to make fertilizer more accessible and affordable for Nigerian farmers, as part of efforts to enhance soil health, agricultural productivity, and food security.
Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Abubakar Kyari, disclosed this during a meeting with IFDC officials at the Africa Food System Forum in Dakar, Senegal, where he represented Nigeria.
Kyari said the partnership will provide technical support for data-driven fertilizer application, expand local blending capacity, and curb adulteration in the input supply chain. He noted that the initiative aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s agricultural transformation agenda.
The Minister further revealed that the Nigeria Farmers’ Soil Health Scheme has been introduced to provide crop- and location-specific fertilizer recommendations, with emphasis on affordability, quality assurance, and timely delivery to farmers across staple crop-producing regions.
On his part, IFDC President and Chief Executive Officer, Henk van Duijn, said the collaboration will strengthen soil testing, balanced nutrient use, farmer training, and policy reforms to support competitive and transparent input markets.
A Technical Committee is expected to be inaugurated soon to finalize modalities for the partnership.
