Sokoto State Governor Ahmed Aliyu has explained why his administration has moved from distributing fertilizer free of charge to selling it at subsidized rates, saying the new approach is meant to ensure that genuine farmers get the benefit directly.
Why the policy changed
The governor explained that the state had earlier distributed fertilizer free to farmers on three occasions, but later shifted to a subsidised sales model after discovering that middlemen and other “unpatriotic” actors were diverting the benefit from intended farmers.
He said the government is now tightening measures to block such diversion and warned that security agencies should go after anyone sabotaging access to farm inputs.
Speaking at the official flag-off of fertilizer distribution for the 2026 wet season farming season in Wamakko Local Government Area on Friday, Aliyu said the state remains committed to supporting agriculture as the backbone of Sokoto’s economy.
He said the policy shift was necessary after repeated attempts to give out fertilizer free revealed serious leakages in the system.
The volume of fertilizer and allocation to LGAs
The governor said the state had procured 157,800 bags of assorted fertilizer, equivalent to 263 trucks of NPK and urea, at a cost of N7.706 billion.
According to him, the fertilizer will be sold at subsidized rates and distributed across the 23 local government areas of the state.
Aliyu said each of the 23 local government areas would receive six trucks of fertilizer for farmers in their areas. He added that the administration had also provided improved seeds, herbicides and insecticides as part of its broader support to farmers for the wet season.
Beyond fertilizer: Seeds and mechanization
He said the state spent millions of naira on 12,800 bags of improved seeds, including millet, maize, beans, cowpea, sorghum and rice varieties. Aliyu also listed herbicides and insecticides procured for farmers to boost productivity and reduce losses during cultivation.
The governor said his administration is also pushing for mechanised farming through the procurement of 250 Massey Ferguson tractors valued at N22.126 billion. He said 75 percent of the contract sum had already been paid, while 90 percent of the tractors had reportedly been delivered.
Aliyu said the federal government, under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, had also offered Sokoto another opportunity to obtain 100 Belarus tractors through the Bank of Agriculture. He said arrangements for the tractors were being handled by the state Ministry of Agriculture for due diligence.
The governor urged beneficiaries to make proper use of the fertilizer and other inputs to improve food production in the state. He also called on security agencies to clamp down on middlemen and their collaborators who he said were sabotaging efforts to make farm inputs affordable and accessible to real farmers.
Aliyu said the policy would continue to be reviewed, adding that if the government’s new measures succeed in stopping diversion, fertilizer could again be distributed free in future. He described the intervention as part of his administration’s drive to strengthen food security and modernise agriculture in Sokoto State.
Speaking earlier, the Chairman of the Committee on the Sales of Food Items and Other Essential Commodities at Subsidised Rates, who is also a Federal Commissioner of the National Population Commission (NPC), Tpl. Chiso Abdullahi Dattijo, disclosed this on Friday at the flag-off ceremony held in Wamakko Local Government Area.
He said the fertiliser sales programme is aimed at ensuring that genuine farmers have timely access to quality farm inputs at highly subsidised rates through a transparent and accountable distribution system.
“The programme is expected to increase crop yields, reduce the cost of food production, improve farmers’ incomes and enhance household food security across Sokoto State.”
The committee chairman noted that the exercise marks the fourth fertiliser distribution programme under Governor Ahmed Aliyu’s administration.
He explained that while the first exercise in Wamakko LGA, involved the free distribution of fertiliser and other agricultural inputs, the subsequent programmes in Gwadabawa and Wurno Local Government Areas introduced subsidised fertiliser sales, with complementary farm inputs provided free to beneficiaries.
Dattijo said the administration had consistently demonstrated its commitment to restoring agriculture as the backbone of Sokoto’s economy through sustained investment in agricultural inputs and farmer support initiatives.
He stressed that the prosperity of the state depends largely on the prosperity of its farmers, adding that the government would continue to prioritise policies capable of increasing agricultural productivity, creating employment and driving rural development.
He assured farmers that the committee would ensure the distribution process remained transparent, fair and accountable, while urging committee members, local government coordinators and other stakeholders to maintain the highest standards of integrity throughout the exercise.
The committee chairman also called on farmers to make judicious use of the subsidised fertiliser by adopting improved farming practices to maximise yields during the 2026 wet season.
He expressed optimism that the intervention would translate into bumper harvests, improved food availability and stronger economic growth for Sokoto State.
