Nyesom Wike, Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), has launched a 50 percent subsidy on fertilizers for farmers in the six Area Councils.
Gatekeepers News reports that the minister noted that the measure is designed to enhance food production and ease the burden of rising agricultural costs.
The programme was flagged off at the Arts and Culture Exhibition Pavilion in Garki, Abuja, where 550 metric tonnes of fertilizers including NPK, granular urea, NPK gel, and urea gel were officially distributed to verified farmers.
Wike described the intervention as timely support for farmers at a critical point in the planting season.
He said, “This initiative is a cornerstone of our commitment to food security and agricultural revitalization.”
“It comes at a time when our farmers need support the most. With these inputs, we aim not only to boost yields but also to cushion the effects of rising food costs on households.”
The minister stressed that monitoring mechanisms had been put in place to ensure the inputs reach genuine farmers.
He cautioned, “To whom much is given, much is expected. I appeal to our farmers not to sell these fertilizers but to use them to cultivate their lands and feed their families, the FCT, and Nigeria at large.”
Wike also urged young Nigerians to embrace farming, pointing out Abuja’s vast agricultural potential.
He said, “Instead of waiting endlessly for white-collar jobs, our young people should go into agriculture. It is time to return to the farms and produce what we eat.”
The minister highlighted collaborations with partners such as JICA, IITA, FAO, Leventis Foundation, and the World Bank’s ACReSAL project, as well as initiatives supported by the Islamic Development Bank and the FCT CARES project, noting that they complement ongoing efforts to strengthen food systems.
Reaffirming government priorities, Wike added, “Our ultimate goal is to build a prosperous, secure, and inclusive city that every Nigerian is proud to call home. Improved security in the FCT has already restored confidence and created a safer environment for agriculture to thrive.”
Mandate Secretary of the Agriculture and Rural Development Secretariat, Comrade Abdullahi Suleiman Ango, disclosed that 3,500 knapsack sprayers had also been procured.
He assured that with a fast-growing population, investing in agriculture is the surest path to self-sufficiency, job creation, and food security.
Farmers and stakeholders present at the event welcomed the subsidy, saying it would help reduce production costs and stabilize food prices across the territory.
