Farmers operating under the umbrellas of the Coalition of Farmers Association of Nigeria and the Himma Youth Farmers Association of Nigeria asserted on Thursday that the new Presidential Fertilizer Initiative will likely trigger a high cost of fertilizers.

The National President of COFAN, Dr. Abubakar Bamai, voiced concern that this government move, coming amid rising input costs, existing distribution gaps, and uncertainty in fertilizer supply, threatens the gains made over the past eight years and risks worsening Nigeria’s food crisis.

Bamai highlighted the current severe financial strain on farmers, noting that the price of fertilizer currently stands at N58,000 per 100 kilograms. This exorbitant price has already forced many farmers to sell their crops or abandon their farms, and an increased cost of fertilizer will only compound these woes.

Despite their reservations, the coalition first offered commendation to the President, with Bamai stating: “COFAN and HYFAN commend President Bola Tinubu, for his bold agricultural reforms and programs aimed at repositioning Nigeria’s food systems. These reforms show strong commitment to farmer empowerment, youth inclusion, and national food security.”

However, the President then expressed the coalition’s deep apprehension regarding the ongoing restructuring of the PFI and its immediate impact on smallholder and youth farmers.

He stressed the existing threats, saying: “However, as the Federal Government undertakes the ongoing deliberation and restructuring of the Presidential Fertilizer Initiative, we express deep concern about the immediate effects on Nigerian farmers, particularly smallholder and youth farmers. Rising input costs, distribution gaps, and uncertainty in fertilizer supply threaten to undermine the gains made over the past eight years.”

As one of their primary demands, the coalition called for the government to allow the Ministry of Finance Incorporated to continue managing the importation of raw materials. To prevent the erosion of previous achievements, they respectfully urged the President to take specific actions.

Their demands were clearly laid out: “In this regard, we respectfully urge President Tinubu not to allow these achievements to be eroded. Specifically, we call on the Federal Government to: Continue the importation of fertilizer raw materials until local production capacity is fully reliable to meet national demand. Allow the Ministry of Finance Incorporated to continue managing raw material importation, ensuring efficiency, transparency, and stability in the supply chain. Adopt a balanced approach that protects farmers in the short term while building stronger local capacity for the future.”