The federal government has intensified efforts to strengthen food security and boost agricultural production with the distribution of 80,640 bags of free fertiliser to 20,160 smallholder farmers across the South-West geopolitical zone.
The initiative, implemented through the National Agricultural Development Fund (NADF), was officially launched on Thursday in Ado-Ekiti under the Renewed Hope Farm Input Support Programme (FISP), a key component of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
The programme is designed to support farmers during the 2026 wet farming season by reducing production costs, increasing yields and expanding food production across the region.
Speaking at the launch, the Executive Secretary and Chief Executive Officer of NADF, Mohammed Abu Ibrahim, described the fertiliser distribution as a carefully targeted intervention aimed at reaching genuine farmers and strengthening national food security.
According to him, the initiative is focused on ensuring that fertiliser gets to the right beneficiaries at the appropriate time to maximise agricultural output.
“This is not fertiliser distribution for the sake of distribution. It is targeted support designed to get fertiliser to the right farmers, for the right crops, at the right time,” Ibrahim said.
He explained that the programme aligns with President Tinubu’s agricultural transformation agenda and commitment to inclusive economic growth.
He added that the support package was tailored to reflect the comparative agricultural advantages of participating states, with beneficiaries selected based on priority crops considered vital to food production and market stability.
Ibrahim also stressed that measures had been put in place to guarantee transparency and accountability in the distribution process. He disclosed that all fertiliser supplied under the programme was produced locally, clearly branded “Not For Sale,” and linked to verified beneficiaries to prevent diversion.
Representing Ekiti State Governor Biodun Oyebanji at the event, the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Habibat Adubiaro, described the intervention as timely and beneficial to farmers across the region.
She said the programme would contribute significantly to efforts aimed at improving agricultural productivity while supporting the transformation of agriculture into a major driver of economic growth, employment generation and food security.
Adubiaro also commended President Tinubu, the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, and NADF for introducing practical support measures for farmers and fostering stronger collaboration between the federal government and state governments.
Also speaking, the Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, said the fertiliser distribution forms part of broader efforts by the federal government to lower production costs, increase agricultural output and achieve sustainable food security nationwide.
The President of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), Alhaji Muhammad Magaji, welcomed the initiative, describing it as a significant boost for smallholder farmers.
Magaji noted that the support would ease the financial burden on farmers, improve crop yields and enhance productivity during the farming season.
The south-west rollout of the Farm Input Support Programme represents another step in the federal government’s strategy to increase food production, stabilise food prices and advance President Tinubu’s vision of a food-secure and economically resilient Nigeria.
