Governor Uba Sani on Saturday started giving out 500 trucks of free fertiliser and sending tractors to support 150,000 small farmers across all 23 local government areas in Kaduna State. This is the third year in a row for this support program.
The launch took place at Murtala Mohammed Square in Kaduna. It builds on similar programs from the past two years.
In 2025, the governor gave out 400 trucks of free fertiliser to 100,000 small farmers, with each person getting two bags. In 2024, the state carried out its largest fertiliser distribution ever, providing more than 500 trucks of fertiliser along with other farming supplies for dry-season farming.
At the event, Mr Sani called the initiative "one of the most extensive fertiliser support programmes undertaken by any subnational government in Nigeria."
He explained that the program aims to help farmers deal with rising costs of production and to avoid cuts in cultivation, lower yields, and increased food insecurity.
The governor said some people suggested he sell the fertiliser at reduced prices, but he turned it down.
"For example, if we buy the commodity at ₦56,000 per bag, we should sell it to farmers at ₦20,000. But ₦20,000 is still beyond the reach of most smallholder farmers. Besides, large-scale farmers could buy up the commodity and resell it at exorbitant prices, defeating the purpose of the subsidy," he stated.
Mr Sani mentioned that agriculture is crucial to Kaduna State's economy, making up about 43 per cent of the state’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and providing jobs for 60 to 80 per cent of the active workforce.
He linked the increase in farming activities to better security in the state, noting that many farmers have returned to their lands.
He said that with the help of residents and support from President Bola Tinubu, the state has recovered 5,000 hectares of farmland that were affected by insecurity.
He pointed out that Kaduna has a lot of good farmland and conditions that make it a key agricultural area, stating that it is Nigeria’s top producer of maize, tomatoes, and ginger.
"Agriculture is far more than an economic sector. It is the meeting point of food security, industrial development, job creation, rural transformation and social stability," the governor said.
Mr Sani added that his administration has raised budget allocations for agriculture since he took office in 2023.
He shared that the sector got ₦1.48 billion, or about 0.4 per cent of the state budget, before his administration. This amount increased to ₦23.4 billion in 2024, ₦74.02 billion in 2025, and over ₦100 billion in the 2026 budget, which is about 11.65 per cent of total state spending, going beyond the 10 per cent target set in the Malabo Declaration.
Mr Sani credited the progress in agriculture to support from the federal government under President Bola Tinubu.
The governor explained that his administration’s agricultural strategy goes beyond just fertiliser distribution. It also includes investments in all parts of farming.
These investments cover improved seeds, mechanisation, irrigation, training services, affordable loans, agricultural insurance, farm roads, and market access.
He also said the state has boosted livestock farming by investing in veterinary services, disease tracking, vaccination programmes, milk and poultry production, better feed, and infrastructure for pastoralists.
According to him, over 100,000 farmers have signed up for agricultural insurance to protect against floods, droughts, pests, and other risks.
Mr Sani added that Kaduna is working on the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zone (SAPZ) with the Federal Government and the African Development Bank. The state is also setting up the Africa Quality Assurance Centre to make sure agricultural products meet international standards and compete well under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
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