Former Governor of Nasarawa State and Member of the Board of Directors (BoT) of the Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), Senator Abdullahi Adamu, has warned that the rising cost of fertilizers and other agricultural inputs is worsening hardships across the country and threatening Nigeria’s food security.
Adamu spoke on Sunday at his Keffi residence during a courtesy visit by the newly elected national executives of AFAN, led by its president, Muhammad Magaji.
The former senator lamented that farmers were facing unprecedented challenges, noting that the cost of fertilizers has risen to levels that make agriculture neither profitable nor sustainable.
“Farmers in this country, since independence, have never experienced what they are experiencing today. I produce yams, rice, beans, corn and sorghum, but I use fertilizer. Today, 100 kilograms of corn or sorghum cost less than a bag of fertilizer.
Fertilizer now sells for between N45,000 and N60,000 in some places, while 100kg of maize, if you are lucky, costs around N40,000. This completely destroys agriculture,” Adamu said.
According to him, the imbalance between input costs and producer prices is pushing the country towards what he described as an agricultural funeral, warning that if urgent measures are not taken, the difficulties experienced by farmers will spread to all segments of society.
“We must be very careful. We must launch agriculture, otherwise no one will be able to escape the difficulties that await the country,” he warned.
Adamu congratulated the newly elected executives of AFAN, urging them to learn from past leadership crises within the association and work collectively to reposition the body as a strong voice for Nigerian farmers.
He regretted that internal conflicts had weakened AFAN in the past and emphasized that unity and focus would be essential for the new leadership.
“For AFAN to be effective, all farmers registered with the association should be proud to say, ‘This is what AFAN is doing for me. Instead of focusing on promoting the association and agriculture, we have been fighting it ourselves,'” he said.
He reminded executives that they were assuming leadership at a particularly difficult time for agriculture, when government attention to the sector appears to be waning compared to previous years.
“When I was president, there was still some government attention on agriculture. Today, the story is different. You have to do real work to get the government to listen to you. At the end of the day, people will ask you: What did you do during your term?” Adamu said.
The former governor assured the new leaders of his continued support and pledged to offer guidance and assistance where necessary.
In his remarks, AFAN President Muhammad Magaji said the visit was aimed at thanking Senator Adamu for his long-standing support and formally introducing the new national executives elected on November 26, 2025.
“We are here to pay you a courtesy visit and thank you for your fatherly advice, your fatherly support and all the help you have given to this association. With your full support, both financial and moral, we were able to conduct peaceful and successful elections, with all seats filled,” Magaji said.
He described Adamu as the “father of AFAN, recognizing his contributions to the growth of the association and agricultural development in Nigeria, particularly during his tenure as governor of Nasarawa State.
“You invested a lot in AFAN. You gave us your office, your resources and sacrificed a lot for farmers across the country. The National Agricultural Foundation of Nigeria, established under your leadership, remains something farmers are proud of,” Magaji noted.
Magaji also highlighted the challenges faced by Nigerian farmers, especially the high cost of inputs and poor timing in the distribution of government support.
“We all want food to be cheap, but for that to happen, farmers must get inputs at affordable prices and at the right time. Giving fertilizers or seeds to farmers in July or August does not help them. Inputs should be provided between February and April in most parts of the country so that farmers can use them effectively,” he said.
He assured that the new leadership of AFAN would work closely with the federal and state governments to ensure that agricultural interventions reach farmers promptly and are based on the realities on the ground.
“We are committed to working hand in hand with the government so that resources are not wasted and farmers truly benefit from agricultural programs. We will also continue to advise the government based on what we see on the ground,” Magaji said.
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