With a pledge to create hundreds of billionaire farmers in the next two years, Benue State Governor Rev. Fr. Dr. Hyacinth Iormem Alia has revealed a N16.8 billion fertilizer initiative aimed at reestablishing the state as Nigeria’s agricultural powerhouse.
Governor Alia said 9,000 metric tonnes (600 truckloads) of fertilizer NPK, urea, and SSP will be given to farmers at half the market price during the official opening of the 2025 cropping season and distribution of subsidized farm inputs in Makurdi. Farmers would pay N22,500 for each bag, with the government providing a subsidy to cover the remaining amount.
The governor emphasized that delays were caused by fraudulent acts by certain vendors in 2024 and stated that the state has also concluded arrangements to settle nearly ₦5 billion owing to legitimate fertilizer suppliers from the previous year.
“We want to use farming to create hundreds of millionaires.” Young farmers ought to benefit from this assistance. Benue pride is found in farming, which is also where our money resides,” Alia said.
In order to provide farmers with timely access to resources, he disclosed that Benue has already implemented a new agricultural calendar that guarantees the distribution of wet season inputs between April and June and dry season inputs between November and January.
Additionally, Governor Alia promised that starting in December, no raw oranges would be shipped from the state since Benue’s new fruit processing facility would provide value locally.
Additionally, he ordered that 300 bags of fertilizer be distributed to widows who attended the event, and he asked farmer cooperatives to make sure that the distribution was transparent.
In an effort to combat corruption, the government has implemented cashless fertilizer sales via point-of-sale terminals at approved facilities, according to Agriculture Commissioner Dr. Benjamin Ashaver.
In order to fill in the gaps in extension services and improve transparency, he added, a reliable farmers’ record and hybrid digital platform were being created.
As his company revitalized the dormant Benue Fertilizer Plant to make crop-specific fertilizers for the state, Dr. Julius Atorough, CEO of Star Fertilizer, gave farmers assurances that contaminated fertilizer would be eradicated.
The effort was praised by Ter Lobi, HRH Moses Anagende, and Benue State House of Assembly Committee Chairman of Agriculture, Hon. Emmanuel Shimawua, who described it as timely help that would increase productivity and restore farmers’ faith in security in rural areas.
There were cultural exhibits, music, and a ribbon-cutting during the ceremony.
With a pledge to create hundreds of billionaire farmers in the next two years, Benue State Governor Rev. Fr. Dr. Hyacinth Iormem Alia has revealed a N16.8 billion fertilizer initiative aimed at reestablishing the state as Nigeria’s agricultural powerhouse.
Governor Alia made the announcement that 9,000 metric tonnes (600 truckloads) of fertilizer, including NPK, urea, and SSP, will be given to farmers at half the market price during the official opening of the 2025 cropping season and the distribution of subsidized agriculture inputs in Makurdi. Farmers would pay N22,500 for each bag, with the government providing a subsidy to cover the remaining amount.
The governor emphasized that delays were caused by fraudulent acts by few vendors in 2024 and stated that the state has also concluded arrangements to pay over N5 billion owing to legitimate fertilizer suppliers from the previous year.
“We want to use farming to create hundreds of millionaires.” Young farmers ought to benefit from this assistance. Benue pride is found in farming, which is also where our money resides,” Alia said.
In order to provide farmers with timely access to resources, he disclosed that Benue has already implemented a new agricultural calendar that guarantees the distribution of wet-season inputs between April and June and dry-season inputs between November and January.
Additionally, Governor Alia promised that starting in December, no raw oranges would be shipped from the state since Benue’s new fruit processing facility would provide value locally. Additionally, he ordered that 300 bags of fertilizer be distributed to widows who attended the event, and he asked farmer cooperatives to make sure that the distribution was transparent.
In an effort to combat corruption, the government has implemented cashless fertilizer sales via point-of-sale terminals at approved facilities, according to Agriculture Commissioner Dr. Benjamin Ashaver. In order to bridge extension-service gaps and improve transparency, he added, a reliable farmers’ record and hybrid digital platform were being built.
As his company revitalized the dormant Benue Fertilizer Plant to make crop-specific fertilizers for the state, Dr. Julius Atorough, CEO of Star Fertilizer, gave farmers assurances that contaminated fertilizer would be eradicated.
The effort was praised by Ter Lobi, HRH Moses Anagende, and Benue State House of Assembly Committee Chairman of Agriculture, Hon. Emmanuel Shimawua, who described it as timely help that would increase productivity and restore farmers’ faith in security in rural areas.
