The Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA) has marked a significant milestone in Nigeria’s agricultural sector by expanding the number of operational fertiliser blending plants from just four in 2016 to 92 as of July 2025. This achievement was highlighted during the annual Presidential Fertiliser Initiative (PFI) stakeholder forum in Abuja, where key agricultural value chain players gathered to review the programme’s journey and successes.
Launched in 2016, the PFI was created to address structural inefficiencies in Nigeria’s fertiliser supply chain and reduce reliance on imports. Under the strategic guidance of NSIA and the federal government, the initiative has revitalised the country’s fertiliser blending landscape. Over 128 million bags of high-quality blended fertiliser have been delivered to Nigerian farmers, significantly enhancing fertiliser accessibility and affordability.
The programme has also had a positive economic impact, generating more than 100,000 direct and indirect jobs nationwide while boosting food security despite global supply chain challenges stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic, the Russia-Ukraine conflict, foreign exchange volatility, and macroeconomic pressures such as naira devaluation.
In a strategic move, the PFI management has now been officially transferred to the Ministry of Finance Incorporated (MOFI). This transition aims to ensure the programme’s sustainability as it enters a new phase focused on greater financial and operational resilience. Innovations, including adopting wet blend technology, geographic expansion to underserved regions, and increased private sector engagement, are expected to drive further growth.
NSIA managing director/CEO Aminu Umar-Sadiq lauded the initiative as a testament to successful public-private partnerships, stating, “The PFI is a model of what collaboration between public institutions and the private sector can achieve. We remain committed to strategic partnerships that enhance positive socio-economic outcomes for Nigerians.”
For his part, MOFI’s managing director, Armstrong Ume Takang, acknowledged NSIA’s vital role, emphasising that the authority’s stewardship helped improve fertiliser quality and increase farm yields. He expressed confidence that the programme will continue strengthening Nigeria’s agri-value chain under MOFI’s leadership.
As NSIA hands over management of PFI to MOFI, it reaffirms its dedication to catalysing impactful investments and fostering collaborations that advance Nigeria’s socio-economic development.
