An appeal has gone to the federal government to sustain the importation of raw materials for fertiliser until local production capacity can fully meet national demand. This appeal was made by The Coalition of Farmers Association of Nigeria (COFAN) and the Himma Youth Farmers Association of Nigeria (HYFAN).
Speaking at a joint press conference in Abuja, COFAN President, Dr Abubakar Bamai, warned that banning imports prematurely could disrupt supply and push fertiliser prices beyond the reach of smallholder farmers. According to Bamai, “Government should continue the importation of fertiliser raw materials until local production capacity is fully reliable to meet national demand.” He added: “Nigerian farmers cannot afford a disruption in fertiliser supply at this critical moment.”
The briefing, which focused on the restructuring of the Presidential Fertiliser Initiative (PFI), raised concerns about the potential impact of reforms on smallholder farmers and youth farmers. The COFAN President cautioned that limiting imports could allow private blenders to dominate the industry, leading to monopolies and higher prices. He described the PFI, introduced under former President Muhammadu Buhari, as a “cornerstone of agricultural transformation” that boosted food production and ensured affordable fertiliser access.
“We deeply appreciate your reforms, but we appeal: do not kill the legacy of Buhari’s agricultural transformation on fertiliser access,” he said.
While commending President Bola Tinubu for ongoing agricultural reforms, Bamai stressed that rising input costs, distribution challenges and uncertainty in fertiliser supply “threaten to undermine the gains made over the past eight years.”
He also urged the Federal Government to involve the Ministry of Finance in managing raw material importation to improve efficiency, transparency, and stability in the supply chain.
Bamai reaffirmed COFAN and HYFAN’s commitment to working with government, the private sector and development partners to ensure reforms protect farmers while strengthening national food security.