Nasarawa Farmers Get 20,160 Bags Of Free Fertiliser

Small-scale farmers in Nasarawa State will receive 20,160 bags of fertiliser free of charge as part of the Federal Government’s intervention for the 2026 wet-season farming.

Governor Abdullahi Sule flagged off the distribution yesterday in Lafia under phase one of the Renewed Hope Farm Input Programme, organised by the State Ministry of Agriculture.

Sule told beneficiaries that the fertiliser was not procured by the state government but donated by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. “This is a gift from our President, not from the state government. We thank Mr President for this wonderful gesture,” he said.

The intervention, delivered through the National Agricultural Development Fund and the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, targets farmers in 13 LGAs. The Governor said the entire consignment would go directly to farmers, with none retained for state-owned farms.

He said the gesture would ease the burden of high input costs, which made it difficult for farmers and the state’s 10,000-hectare rice farm to break even last year. “Fertiliser has become so expensive that a lot of farmers have found it very difficult to buy,” Sule said.

The Governor described agriculture as the backbone of Nigeria’s economy and restated his administration’s commitment to the sector. He cited banditry, farmer-herder clashes, and climate variability as ongoing challenges, but pledged continued security and investment support.

Representing NADF Executive Secretary Mr Muhammad Abu Ibrahim, a state official said the programme was designed with the state government and the All Farmers Association of Nigeria to ensure inputs reach genuine farmers and boost productivity.

AFAN State chairman, Amb Isaac Kigbu, commended the federal and state governments and assured that distribution would be transparent across benefiting LGAs.

Chairman, House Committee on Agriculture, Hon Ibrahim Akwe, lauded the Governor’s efforts but urged the recruitment of more extension workers to train farmers on proper fertiliser use.

Gov Sule also announced that three major roads in Akwanga would be commissioned on Wednesday, alongside the groundbreaking of phase four of the Nigeria Super Highway running through Akwanga, Kaduna, Plateau, Bauchi and Gombe.

He added that Vice President Kashim Shettima is expected in the state later this week to commission the Diamond New Energy lithium processing plant in Endo, Nasarawa LGA, described as the largest in Nigeria.