Benue Slashes Fertiliser Price by 51 Percent in Major Food Security Push

(Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia. Photo by The Sun Nigeria)

Benue State Governor Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia has approved a 51 per cent subsidy on fertiliser, reducing the price of a bag to N28,000 for farmers across the state as part of efforts to boost agricultural output and strengthen food security.

The announcement was made at the launch of the 2026 Fertiliser and Agricultural Inputs Sales and Distribution Programme at the Benue Fertilizer Blending Plant in Makurdi.

The governor described the initiative as a deliberate policy direction rather than a one-off seasonal measure, aimed at reducing the financial burden on farmers, expanding cultivated land through aggregation, and stimulating rural economic growth.

Alia stated that distribution would cover all 23 local government areas and that stricter monitoring mechanisms have been introduced this year to ensure fairness and prevent the diversion of inputs.

He also disclosed that the volume of fertiliser and other agricultural inputs has been increased to keep pace with growing demand driven by expanded farming activities.

Beyond fertiliser, the governor outlined a broader agricultural agenda that includes constructing and rehabilitating rural roads, expanding irrigation infrastructure for year-round farming, promoting agro-processing and value-chain development, and running training programmes for farmers, youths, and women in agribusiness.

He warned that anyone involved in diversion or malpractice during the distribution exercise would face sanctions.

Earlier, Agriculture Commissioner Benjamin Ashaver assured that the era of substandard fertiliser distribution in Benue was over, saying comprehensive quality control measures are now in place to ensure farmers receive only high-grade inputs.

The programme is expected to benefit thousands of farmers ahead of the 2026 farming season.