The National Agricultural Development Fund (NADF) has started distributing free fertiliser to 20,160 smallholder farmers across the South-South as part of efforts to increase food production, lower farming costs, and strengthen Nigeria’s food security.
The intervention is being implemented under the Fund’s Farm Input Support Programme (FISP), a scheme designed to provide farmers with timely access to essential farm inputs during the planting season.
Speaking at the programme’s launch in Calabar, NADF Executive Secretary, Mohammed Ibrahim, said the initiative would benefit farmers in Cross River, Akwa Ibom, Delta, and Edo states.
Represented by the Fund’s Head of Investment Department, Mr Olalekan Alabi, Ibrahim described the programme as part of President Bola Tinubu’s commitment to supporting agriculture under the Renewed Hope Agenda.
“FISP is a targeted intervention designed to ensure fertiliser reaches verified farmers cultivating priority food crops at the right time, rather than serving as a general distribution exercise.
It is a targeted support designed to get fertiliser to the right farmers, for the right crops and at the right time.
Agriculture should be measured by higher yields, improved market access and the impact it makes on people’s lives.
We are distributing 515,720 bags of fertiliser nationwide, but under the South-South. Each participating state will receive 20,160 bags for 5,040 registered farmers, with every beneficiary receiving four bags,” he said.
In total, the programme will distribute 80,640 bags of fertiliser across the four South-South states, with each of the 20,160 registered farmers receiving four bags.
Ibrahim said all fertiliser supplied under the programme was manufactured in Nigeria, fully subsidised, traceable, and clearly labelled “Not for Sale” to discourage diversion.
He explained that each bag had been linked to a verified beneficiary through a validation process that included duplication screening and proper documentation.
According to him, monitoring and evaluation partners will assess farmers’ productivity after the farming season to measure the programme’s impact on crop yields.
Beyond fertiliser support, Ibrahim announced that NADF will deploy more than 1,800 Extension Advisory Workers nationwide next month, with 30 officers assigned to each state to provide farmers with technical guidance and extension services.
He also disclosed that the Fund is finalising a Harmonised Fertiliser Recommendations Manual for Crops in Nigeria, which will provide farmers with scientifically backed guidelines on fertiliser application to improve productivity and soil management.
The Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Sen. Abubakar Kyari, described the intervention as part of the Federal Government’s efforts to improve agricultural productivity and strengthen national food security.
Represented by the ministry’s State Coordinator, Sampson George, the minister said the programme would deliver multiple benefits for farmers and the agricultural sector.
“One programme delivers three gains: support for the farmer, increased demand for local fertiliser producers and improved food security for the nation,” he said.
Cross River State Governor, Bassey Otu, commended the Federal Government and NADF for focusing on smallholder farmers, describing them as the backbone of Nigeria’s agricultural economy.
Represented by the Speaker of the Cross River State House of Assembly, Elvert Ayambem, the governor said the intervention aligns with the state’s People First Agenda and pledged to ensure transparency so that the fertiliser reaches genuine beneficiaries.
Cross River Commissioner for Agriculture and Irrigation Development, Mr Johnson Ebokpo, said the fertiliser programme complements the state’s ongoing agricultural initiatives, including the distribution of subsidised mini tractors, improved seedlings, quality seeds, and farmer capacity-building programmes to increase agricultural productivity.
