By Esther Ososanya
The Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA) has formally handed over the management of the Presidential Fertiliser Initiative (PFI) to the Ministry of Finance Incorporated (MOFI), capping nearly a decade of what industry watchers describe as one of the country’s most transformative farm input programmes.
Launched in 2016 to fix chronic inefficiencies in the fertiliser supply chain and cut reliance on imports, the PFI—implemented by NSIA on behalf of the Federal Government—expanded the number of operational blending plants from just four to over 90 by July 2025. In that period, it delivered more than 128 million bags of high-quality fertiliser to farmers nationwide, boosting yields, lowering prices, and creating over 100,000 direct and indirect jobs.
At a stakeholders’ forum in Abuja marking the handover, NSIA Managing Director Aminu Umar-Sadiq hailed the programme as a “model of collaboration” between public institutions and the private sector.
“Over the years, the PFI has weathered global storms from the COVID-19 pandemic to the Russia-Ukraine war and foreign exchange shocks without letting Nigerian farmers down during planting seasons,” he said. “This transition is not an end but a continuation of a success story.”
NSIA credited its resilience to tight supply chain management and close cooperation with private players across the agricultural value chain.
Restructuring for the Future
In recent years, the PFI underwent significant reforms, including the adoption of wet blend technology, expansion into underserved regions, and greater private sector participation. These measures, NSIA said, have laid the groundwork for long-term sustainability under MOFI’s sole management.
As part of the restructuring in 2021, PFI-NPK became a wholly owned MOFI subsidiary, with NSIA co-managing operations through an agreement that officially ends in November 2025.
MOFI’s Next Steps
MOFI Managing Director, Dr Armstrong Takang, praised NSIA’s discipline and technical expertise in building the programme and vowed to strengthen it further.
He stressed the need to tackle inefficiencies, noting that some fertilisers in the market contain less than 10 per cent nutrient content—undermining productivity.
“Nigeria’s yield per hectare is still among the lowest globally,” Takang said. “We must act collectively to protect the integrity of the agricultural sector and support local blenders to secure our food future.”
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The Presidential Fertiliser Initiative is widely regarded as one of the Federal Government’s most successful agricultural reforms, having revived a moribund domestic industry and reduced Nigeria’s dependence on costly imports.
As MOFI assumes full control, stakeholders say the challenge will be to maintain the programme’s momentum, scale its reach, and deepen its impact on national food security.
Esther Ososanya is an investigative journalist with Pinnacle Daily, reporting across health, business, environment, metro, Fct and crime. Known for her bold, empathetic storytelling, she uncovers hidden truths, challenges broken systems, and gives voice to overlooked Nigerians. Her work drives national conversations and demands accountability one powerful story at a time.
