After Delivering 128 Million Fertilisers to Nigerian Farmers, NSIA to Exit PFI November

*MoFI to assume full control of presidential initiative, appoints  ManCo sole manager of PFI-NPK operations 

*100,000 direct, indirect jobs created

Ndubuisi Francis and James Emejo in Abuja

The Nigerian Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA) said it planned to exit the co- management of the Presidential Fertilizer Initiative (PFI) by November.

The decision came after a 10-year strategic direction of the PFI programme, where NSIA led the transformation of the country’s previously moribund fertilizer blending landscape.

As a result, the authority is expected to formally hand over full control of PFI to state-owned asset management company–Ministry of Finance Incorporated (MoFI).

The transition will bring to a closure, the almost decade-long management of the largely impactful agricultural programme by the NSIA.

Between 2016 and July 2025, NSIA had grown the number of operational blending plants from four to over 90 – with over 128 million bags of blended high-quality fertiliser delivered to Nigerian farmers. 

Managing Director/Chief Executive, NSIA, Aminu Umar-Sadiq, said since its launch in 2016, the PFI had evolved into one of Nigeria’s most impactful agricultural interventions.

This came as Chief Executive, Ministry of Finance Incorporated (MoFI), Dr. Amstrong Ume Takang, however, reaffirmed its commitment to the success of PFI, notwithstanding NSIA’s planned exit of the programme

Both spoke at the 2025 PFI-NPK Stakeholders’ Roundtable, with the theme, “PFI: A journey of Reform, partnership and Transition”, over the weekend in Abuja.

Umar-Sadiq, said, “This event is significant because we are honouring nearly a decade of positive impact, strategic partnership, growth and reform. The PFI is a model of what collaboration between public institutions, and the private sector can achieve. 

“We remain committed to strategic partnerships that enhance positive socio-economic outcomes for Nigerians

“By strategically leading the PFI programme for almost a decade, NSIA re-validates its commitment to advance food security, empower stakeholders within the value chain and ultimately propel sustainable economic growth and development in Nigeria.”

He said, “As the PFI transitions to MoFI, NSIA reiterates its focus on catalysing impactful investments, promoting public-private sector collaboration, and support for initiatives that optimise positive  outcomes in Nigeria.”

The NSIA boss pointed out that the PFI interventions had significantly improved fertiliser accessibility and affordability, enhanced food security, and created over 100,000 direct and indirect jobs across the country.

According to him, despite global supply chain disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Russia-Ukraine conflict, persistent foreign exchange volatility, macroeconomic pressures like the devaluation of the naira, PFI remained resilient as NSIA, working closely with relevant stakeholders ensured uninterrupted supply of fertiliser to farmers at stable prices.

He said, in recent years, the initiative has undergone a strategic restructuring, focused on positioning PFI for enhanced financial and operational sustainability. 

“This next phase includes the introduction of wet blend technology, geographic expansion to underserved regions, and a stronger focus on private sector participation, setting the stage for additional positive impact.”

Nevertheless, the MoFI chief executive, said the PFI-NPK programme had over the years, played a role in transforming the country’s fertilizer ecosystem, from expanding domestic blending capacity to enhancing farmers’ access to quality fertilizers and advancing national food security objectives. 

Takang, vowed sustained strategic support to the PFI-NPK Limited under the full operations and management of MoFI Management Company Limited (ManCo) when its current joint management partner, NSIA the arrangement.

The roundtable was convened for PFI-NPK stakeholders by MOFI and NSIA to reflect on the journey so far, assess the impact of the reforms undertaken along the journey, evaluate the evolving partnership with stakeholders, and envision the future of the PFI through the lens of a post-NSIA strategic transition plan.

He stated that success must never be allowed to be a disincentive for further progress, noting that only sustained stakeholder engagement could unlock new vistas of progress.  

The MoFI boss said the theme of the roundtable was carefully chosen to appreciate stakeholders for their long-standing commitment to the PFI, and “serve as a reminder to all parties that the journey ahead requires even greater effort if more remarkable successes are to be recorded.”

He said, “As this year’s roundtable convenes key stakeholders across government, industry, and the private sector for a strategic dialogue, the focus will be on progress made, challenges ahead, and collaborative pathways to sustain and scale the Initiative’s impact”.

The federal government established PFI, a fertilizer intervention project, to among other things, stimulate local production of fertilizer by reviving the local blending fertilizer industry; make fertilizer available to Nigerian farmers at affordable prices; enhance food security as a result of the expected increase in food production; reduce food-induced inflation and generally, stimulate economic activities across the agriculture value chain.

The Implementation of the PFI commenced in December 2016 through NAIC-NPK Limited (now PFI-NPK), a wholly-owned subsidiary of NSIA, on behalf of the federal government.

Following the restructuring of the PFI in 2021, PFI-NPK became a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Ministry of Finance Incorporated (MoFI).

The PFI-NPK subsequently engaged Managers to manage the operations and implementation of the PFI on its behalf through the signing of an Operational Management Agreement (OMA). 

The Managers were NSIA and MOFI Management Company Limited (ManCo). 

The joint-management arrangement is now set to end in November with the scheduled exit of NSIA, leaving ManCo as the sole manager of PFI-NPK.