By Shannon Gwamna
Nigeria has secured fertiliser supplies for the 2026 wet farming season and saved an estimated $43.99 million through strategic early procurement by PFI NPK Limited, shielding farmers from a global fertiliser supply crisis and rising input costs.
PFI NPK Limited, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Ministry of Finance Incorporated (MOFI), serves as the implementation vehicle for Nigeria’s Presidential Fertiliser Initiative (PFI), operating a centralised procurement and distribution system designed to ensure nationwide fertiliser availability and market stability.
According to a statement signed by the company’s Executive Director, Portfolio, Mr. Tajudeen Datti Ahmed, global shipping disruptions and rising prices of key fertiliser inputs—Granular Ammonium Sulphate (GAS), Diammonium Phosphate (DAP), and Muriate of Potash (MOP)—have created uncertainty across agricultural markets in Africa.
Despite the challenging global environment, Nigeria was able to avert supply shocks through proactive planning and early procurement.
Director of the Presidential Fertiliser Initiative, Dr. Armstrong Ume Takang, said the intervention was aimed at ensuring farmers have timely access to affordable fertiliser.
“We moved early to secure supply and lock in pricing. What matters is that farmers can access fertiliser when needed and at prices that do not undermine production,” he said.
Takang disclosed that PFI NPK delivered 648,000 metric tonnes of raw materials in 2025 and is scaling up operations with a target of 1.52 million metric tonnes for 2026.
He explained that the company secured supplies months before the current global market disruptions. Records for the first quarter of 2026 show that nine vessels carrying 407,304 metric tonnes of fertiliser raw materials were procured, bringing total available stock, including opening balances, to 534,219 metric tonnes. He added that all Letters of Credit have either been established or fully settled.
Distribution of the inputs is already underway across the country. By mid-April 2026, 323,109.24 metric tonnes, equivalent to about 6.5 million 50kg bags, had been released to 94 Fertiliser Producers and Suppliers Association of Nigeria (FEPSAN)-registered blending plants nationwide.
Of that volume, more than 198,264 metric tonnes, representing roughly four million bags, had already been off-taken, ensuring farmers receive fertiliser ahead of peak planting activities.
The early procurement strategy also delivered substantial cost savings. Granular Ammonium Sulphate was secured at $228 per metric tonne, compared to the current market price of $343. Diammonium Phosphate was purchased at $775 per metric tonne against the prevailing $950, while Muriate of Potash was acquired at $400 per metric tonne, below the current market rate of $430.
The price advantage translated into savings of approximately N61.58 billion, equivalent to $43.99 million.
Takang stressed that fertiliser availability and affordability remain critical to Nigeria’s agricultural productivity and food security.
“With global market conditions placing increasing pressure on input costs, ensuring consistent supply and price stability is essential to supporting agricultural production across the country,” he said.
He added that the impact of the intervention is ultimately measured at the farm level.
“By stabilising supply and managing cost exposure at the procurement stage, we are supporting agricultural productivity at scale and helping farmers maintain viable production costs.”
Looking ahead, Takang said PFI NPK is strengthening long-term supply security through government-to-government partnerships with international suppliers and plans to deploy a digital enterprise system that will provide real-time visibility across procurement, inventory management, and distribution operations.
He explained that the company operates a centralised bulk procurement and distribution model, importing fertiliser raw materials and supplying them to 94 FEPSAN-registered blending plants nationwide.
